Bruxism & TMJ: Solutions for Teeth Grinding

Knowing whether you have a sleeping disorder or not can be difficult since most of us really don’t know what we do when we sleep.

But there are signs and symptoms that you may be grinding your teeth at night.

One of the most common sleeping disorders is bruxism, which is excessive grinding of the teeth or clenching of the jaw.

While people in Carmel, IN, who have have bruxism may not be able to identify it themselves, at Really Smile, Dr. Smith can easily identify it and offer solution options.

The Problem with Bruxism 

What’s the big deal with grinding teeth at night? There are several factors to think about, as your oral health impacts your overall health. But here are a two of the biggest issues caused by bruxism:

• It wears down the enamel on your teeth. Since it’s almost impossible to grow back enamel, this can have ramifications that affect you for the rest of your life, such as cracking a tooth or a crown.
• It can lead to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) and, eventually, the possibility of your face collapsing due to poor bone structure and facial support deterioration over time.

While clenching your teeth doesn’t do as much damage as grinding, both can negatively affect you can cause pain.  

Bruxism Signs & Symptoms

About 10-15 percent of people in Carmel, Indiana, and the surrounding areas experience sleep bruxism. But, again, it’s a difficult disorder to diagnose since many people may not be aware that they have it. While a visit to a dental practice like Really Smile is the best option for determining whether you grind your teeth, there are signs and symptoms of bruxism that anyone can identify. Here are some of them: 

• Tenderness while eating, speaking or moving your jaw. 
• Flattened teeth or a worn-down biting surface. 
• Frequent headaches or pain in the temples, especially during the morning. 
• Pain while drinking a cold liquid or eating hot food. 
• A grinding or a tapping noise at night and a popping jaw noise during the day.  

Once you know that you have bruxism, you can decide how you want to address it. 

Solutions for Bruxism in Carmel, IN

If you catch bruxism early in its development, you can actually prevent most of the damage it causes. The best solution for grinding teeth is a nightguard. It’s important to get a custom nightguard from the dentist like Dr. Smith so it matches your teeth perfectly and doesn’t have any negative side effects.

While some insurance companies cover part of the cost of nightguards, they are usually several hundred dollars. That’s a small investment considering an absence of a nightguard can lead to thousands of dollars in repair down the road. 

If you live in the Carmel, IN, area and think you may grind your teeth at night and would like to know more about solutions, schedule a consultation with Dr. Smith at Really Smile today!