SERVICES

• Treatment Methods
• Prophylaxis (Teeth Cleaning)
• Bruxism Treatments
• Scaling and Root Planing
• Bone Grafting
  • Overview
  • Jawbone Health
  • Jawbone Loss and Deterioration
  • About Bone Grafting
  • Ridge Augmentation
  • Socket Preservation
• Bite Adjustment
• Reduction Surgery
  • Osseous Surgery
  • Gingivectomy
  • Frenectomy
• Gum Grafting
• Crown Lengthening
• Guided Bone and Tissue Regeneration
• Dental Implant Options
  • Dental Implants
• Cosmetic Periodontal Surgery
• Oral Cancer Exam

Bruxism Treatments

Bruxism is an oral parafunctional activity that commonly occurs in most people at some point in their lives.  The two main characteristics of this condition are grinding of the teeth and clenching of the jaw. These actions usually occur during a person's sleeping hours, but occasionally they occur during the day. 

Bruxism is one of the most common known sleep disorders. Chewing is a neuromuscular activity controlled by a subconscious process, but more highly controlled by the brain. During sleep, the subconscious process may become active, while the higher control is inactive (asleep), resulting in bruxism. Recent studies have also linked bruxism while sleeping with sleep apnea.  The most common symptoms of bruxism are earaches, headaches, muscle pain, tooth mobility or pain and popping or clicking of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

Why should I seek treatment for Bruxism?

• Gum recession. Bruxism is a leading cause of gum recession and tooth loss. Grinding can damage the soft tissue directly and lead to loose teeth and deep pockets where bacteria are able to colonize and decay the supporting bone.
• Facial pain. Grinding can eventually shorten and blunt the teeth.  This can lead to muscle pain in the myofascial region and in severe cases, incapacitating headaches.
• Occlusal trauma. The abnormal wear patterns on the occlusal (chewing) surfaces of the teeth can lead to fractures, which, if left untreated, may require restorative treatment at a later time.
• Arthritis. In the most severe cases, bruxism can eventually lead to painful arthritis in the temporomandibular (TMJ) joints that allow the jaw to open and close smoothly.

Treatment Options

Though there is no known cure for bruxism, there are a variety of devices and services available through our office to help treat bruxism:

• Nightguards. A hard acrylic nightguard can be designed from teeth impressions to minimize the abrasive grinding action during normal sleep. Nightguards can be made to fit the upper or lower teeth in a variety of designs.  Nightguards must be worn on a long-term basis to help prevent tooth damage.
• NTI-tss device: This device only covers the front teeth and must be fitted at our office. The idea behind the NTI-tss is to prevent grinding the rear molars by limiting the contraction of the temporalis muscle in the jaw.

Once bruxing is under control, we can perform a variety of dental procedures to restore the pleasant aesthetic appearance to your smile such as crown application, gum grafts, and crown lengthening.