Do you Grind?
Chances are your Dentist isn't asking about your weekends
Tooth grinding or Bruxism, can occur while sleeping and is often a secondary effect triggered from breathing difficulties such as sleep disordered breathing or Sleep Apnoea. Other effects may be present in the mouth such as bony enlargements in some areas known as bony tori. Some individuals may require a teeth grinding splint to prevent them from grinding their teeth.
Most people are completely unaware that they grind their teeth. You can spot tooth grinders as their teeth will be flat, smaller and squarish in shape. In severe unmanaged cases, patients can wear away 80-90% of their original tooth structure. Teeth grinding can also place a lot of stress on other areas of your face jaw. Some people who suffer from grinding their teeth may also feel jaw pain or headaches. The earlier we can detect the teeth grinding problem, the better it is potentially avoiding costly treatment and even loss of teeth!
At Dentistry on Coolum, our expert dentists will examine your teeth and will be able to tell if you have been grinding your teeth. If you may require some prevention or treatment, your dentist may ask your more about other symptoms you may be feeling and provide you with some prevention or treatment advice.
A hard acrylic teeth grinding splint can be made to stop further damage to your teeth. It is usually worn at night and sits as a guard between your teeth to prevent them from grinding together. The splint is custom moulded to fit perfectly on your top or bottom teeth.
A teeth grinding splint is also sometimes made after restorative treatment to protect your teeth and dental work.
Contact us today to see how our dentists can help you with a mouth splint for teeth grinding.
