Teeth grinding and clenching is also known as bruxism, a common but serious disorder. Without treatment, routine teeth grinding can lead to problems with your oral health and serious discomfort. Are you ready to stop grinding your teeth? If so, we have treatment options available to help address the problem.
Try Our Quiz on Teeth Grinding Treatment
- True or False: Stress often causes bruxism.
- True or False: Headaches could be a warning sign.
- True or False: The issue is often linked to TMJ disorder.
- True or False: We can recommend treatment options and lifestyle changes.
Answer Key
- True. An increase in day-to-day anxiety is often linked to teeth grinding, along with tooth loss, misalignment, and injury to the face or jaw. Understanding the cause of your bruxism is the key to recommending the appropriate treatment.
- True. Along with headaches, patients that grind their teeth may also notice sore jaws, toothaches, tooth sensitivity, facial discomfort, and neck pain. If one or more of these warning signs sound familiar, then schedule a visit. We can examine the wear in your teeth to diagnose the issue.
- True. TMJ disorder develops when the jaws undergo excessive strain. This same strain can also lead to the onset of teeth grinding. In addition, if your bruxism remains untreated, then you have a higher risk of TMJ disorder occurring.
- True. First, we may recommend cutting back on caffeine products and avoiding chewing on hard or chewy foods, as the repetitive chewing motions can actually exacerbate the problem. We can also prescribe a custom oral appliance. Worn while you sleep, the device protects your smile form further damage by placing a barrier between the upper and lower teeth. We can also discuss treatment with a lifelike restoration or possibly orthodontic treatment.
Do You Have Questions About Bruxism?
At Jeffrey Leibowitz, DDS, we can an oral appliance to help treat bruxism. We’ve proudly served our patients in Astoria, NY (including Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and all surrounding communities) since 1991. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Leibowitz, call our office in Astoria today at 718-728-8320.
