Teeth GrindingAn Overview
The clinical term for teeth grinding is Bruxism. While a mild case of teeth grinding may not require treatment, chronic, long term teeth grinding can lead to serious problems including tooth wear, jaw disorders, headaches and gum disease.
Preventative visits to the dentist are important to prevent damaged teeth as a result of teeth grinding. Through a simple visual exam, our dentists can identify the signs of bruxism. Depending on the extent of damage and cause of teeth grinding, we offer comprehensive treatment options to help stop teeth grinding and to repair the damage caused by grinding teeth.
Teeth Grinding Symptoms
- Worn teeth – you may notice small chips, flattened teeth or fractured teeth
- Persistent sensitive teeth
- Pain or tightness in the jaw joints or jaw muscles
- Headache, earache and/or facial pain
- Damaged tissue on the inside of your cheek
Teeth Grinding Causes
Stress and anxiety are common causes for teeth grinding. Teeth grinding is also caused by or made worse by Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD) or malocclusion, an improper alignment of the teeth. Other causes for teeth grinding may be conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease and Huntington’s Disease.