Do you typically wake up with a headache? Or maybe you deal with a sore jaw every morning that cracks or pops when you yawn. If you frequently deal with these symptoms after a night’s sleep, you may be experiencing bruxism! Bruxism, also known as teeth grinding, is the involuntary movement of your jaw that clenches your teeth together. In most cases, bruxism occurs during sleep or when you’re not paying attention in the waking hours. But that makes teeth grinding all the more harmful over time, as you can’t control it while unconscious. One of the best ways to protect your smile while you sleep is by wearing a bite guard! These custom oral appliances do all the work while you get to close your eyes and rest peacefully through the night. For bite guards in Sterling Heights, MI, visit St. Apollonia Dental.
What Causes Bruxism?
The gnashing or grinding of teeth is relatively common in the United States. One study found that the prevalence of bruxism (both asleep and awake) was around 30% in North America, surpassing the other continents in the report.
While the exact cause of teeth grinding is unknown, experts link it to a variety of conditions. Feelings of stress or anger, untreated sleep apnea, or even certain medications have all been linked to bruxism in one way or another.
However, it’s not uncommon for patients to miss the signs of teeth grinding. Without knowing what to look out for, many patients go about their days unaware of the consequences that bruxism has on their smile.
The Effects of Bruxism
Without treatment, the constant grinding of teeth will take a toll on your smile. If you think you may be clenching your teeth unconsciously, here are some signs and symptoms to look out for.
- Enamel wear: As teeth grind together, you may notice that your enamel begins to wear down. Your teeth may become flattened at the ends, and you can even create small chips and cracks when clenching hard enough.
- Tension headaches: The more you clench, the more likely you are to experience headaches from the pressure. Typically, these headaches occur at your temples and are worst in the morning.
- TMJ problems: Your TMJ (or Temporomandibular Joint) is the joint that connects your lower jaw to your skull, allowing it to move fluidly. But when there’s too much pressure or strain on this joint, you may develop temporomandibular joint disorder. Bruxism aggravates the effect of TMJ disorder, as it adds even more stress on your jaw.
- Restoration damage: Restorations like crowns, fillings, and veneers are durable, but not invincible. Bruxism will likely damage them over time, causing your restorations to come loose, fall out, or even break under the pressure.
At St. Apollonia Dental, we see tons of patients in our office who don’t realize they’re dealing with bruxism until the damage is already done. If you think you may be grinding your teeth, visit us in Sterling Heights as soon as possible to talk about potential solutions!
Introducing: Bite Guards in Sterling Heights
To help with bruxism, alleviate TMJ symptoms, and protect your dental work, we often create a bite guard for your smile. This appliance goes directly over your teeth and is custom-fit to the contours of your mouth.
With a bite guard in place, you protect your teeth against the constant grinding of bruxism. Rather than scraping your enamel together, the comfortable plastic material of a bite guard will cushion the clenching of your jaw. Additionally, bite guards are easy to pop in and out, so you can wear them anytime, anywhere you need them.
To craft bite guards in Sterling Heights, we need to take an impression of your smile. And at our office, we use innovative technology to make the impression process easier for patients like you!
With an intraoral scanner, we take an impression of your smile without using the messy goop material you may be used to. This machine simply captures a digital scan of your smile to create a 3D image. Then, using the image, our lab creates a bite guard that is custom-fit to your smile.
An intraoral scanner is not only more comfortable than traditional impression material, but it also helps speed up the process. With a digital impression, we can design and fabricate your bite guard quickly, providing you with fast and effective care.
Protect Your Smile With Bite Guards in Sterling Heights, MI
If you think you’re experiencing signs of bruxism, you need to protect your teeth. At our office, we find that around half of patients would benefit from a bite guard. However, most of them don’t even know they need one until the damage is done. To protect your smile, visit St. Apollonia Dental in Sterling Heights! We offer effective bite guards that protect your enamel and any restorations while also alleviating TMJ symptoms.
Book a free consultation with us to learn more about the bite guard process!
