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Solutions for Grinding and Clenching

Many of us grind and clench our teeth at night or throughout the day, this excessive wear on the teeth is called Bruxism. The constant force and pressure of our teeth and facial muscles can cause many problems, from headaches to cracked and broken teeth. There are a few options available to us to help change our behaviour and retrain our muscles.

Signs and symptoms

If you are suffering from:

  • Generalized sensitivity to hot and cold
  • Chronic facial pain, with tension headaches especially when you wake up in the morning or after a stressful day at work
  • Flattered or worn teeth
  • Broken or chipped teeth
  • Stiffness and pain in the jaw joint / restricted opening
  • Clicking from the jaw joint on opening or a grinding sound while you sleep
  • Undergoing a stressful time in your life

you could be experiencing bruxism.

Treatment

  • Occlusal splint (night guard)

This is a non-invasive, easily made mouth guard that sits over  your upper or lower arch at night to retrain our muscles how to rest and prevent any excessive forces from damaging the teeth. It is made from a hard plastic material and is custom designed to fit your mouth for ease of wear and comfort. From patient feedback we have found the occlusal splint to have a very high success rate.

  • Botox

In some cases botox therapy is used to relax the facial muscles just enough to help stop clenching and grinding. The medication Is administered by an injection into the target muscles from the outside of the face using very fine, sterile needles. By reducing the ability for the muscles to contract as forcefully there is thought to be a reduction in the tension placed on the TMJ (Temporomandibular joint) and surrounding tissues, leading to relief of the above symptoms. For more information about this service book an appointment with Niran Pathmaperuma who will be happy to discuss the many benefits of Botox with you.

Alternatively book an appointment with any of our other experienced dentists who will be happy to discuss which treatment will work best for you.