Chronic teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, can lead to serious oral health issues. You could also develop negative changes to the appearance of your smile! But we can help with bruxism treatment. In today’s blog, your team at My Dentist in Londonderry, NH, talks about treating teeth grinding with a bruxism appliance.

The Presence of Teeth Grinding

How do you know if you are grinding your teeth on a nightly basis? For some, a significant other could alert them to their grinding and clenching episodes. But there are also warning signs that could occur during the day. With bruxism, you grind and clench your teeth at night, and the pressure could leave you with tooth sensitivity and toothaches. Other warning signs include headaches and migraines, jaw and facial pain, and aches in the neck and shoulders. Your teeth could also appear shorter as the pressure wears them down.

Factors behind the disorder vary, but could include high stress levels, TMJ disorder, missing teeth, misalignment, or issues with the growth of the jaw or the eruption of the teeth. The arrival of your wisdom teeth could also be a factor!

Complications for Your Smile

Without treatment, the pressure on your teeth can damage outer enamel and increase the risk of tooth decay and dental infection, leading to painful symptoms and eventually, the risk of tooth loss. You could also have persistent pain in your smile and obtain negative impacts on the overall appearance of your bite. Don’t ignore these symptoms and risk serious problems for your oral health and appearance. Talk to our team about treatment with a custom and comfortable oral appliance.

Help with a Custom Oral Appliance

Our team will examine your smile for the tell-tale signs of wear and friction that could indicate the presence of bruxism. We will assess the severity and take detailed images and impressions with digital technology, which we then use to custom-fit an oral appliance. The appliance is worn at night and will fit like a mouthguard. But when in place, this will help shift the jaw and correct imbalance, and also place a soft barrier between the upper and lower teeth to prevent further injury. The oral appliance is easy to use and clean, and it can travel with you during your summer trips!

If you have any questions about how we diagnose and treat serious disorders like bruxism, or about how we repair the damage your teeth incur, then contact our team today!

Teeth Grinding Help From Dr. Wei, DMD

Our team can stop chronic teeth grinding and prevent major complications with an oral appliance. To schedule your appointment, call Dr. YiChen Wei, DMD at My Dentist in Londonderry, NH at (603) 965-3407 today.