Do you wake up with a sore jaw or has your sleep partner complained because you grind your teeth while you are asleep? You may suffer from bruxism, or teeth grinding, a condition that can damage your teeth and jaw joint as well as annoy others trying to sleep near you. At Buford Family Dental, we have effective general dentistry treatments to help minimize the damage from bruxism for our patients, including customized dental nightguards.
When you clench your jaw or grind your teeth, it can cause serious, permanent damage to your teeth and jaw. The muscles in your jaw have incredible strength, exerting hundreds of pounds of pressure. The clenching action alone puts unnecessary pressure on the jaw joint; this can lead to disorders like TMJ or TMD, causing pain and jaw dysfunction. The teeth are also affected, with grinding wearing down the cusp, or top, of the teeth and the pressure causing small fractures in the structure.
Protection from Teeth Grinding
Since jaw clenching and teeth grinding often occur at night when you cannot control it, the best treatment is protective gear. A dental nightguard can ensure your teeth do not rub against each other and help protect the jaw from pressure by shifting the alignment. At Buford Family Dental, we can create a customized nightguard that fits comfortably over your teeth. This can prevent dental and jaw damage, plus relieve pain or discomfort. It also stops the annoying sound of teeth grinding that can keep your sleep partner awake. An added benefit is that nightguards can help with snoring.
If you have bruxism, do not let this nocturnal disorder ruin your smile or cause damage to your jaw. Contact Buford Family Dental to schedule a consultation and exam to determine if a dental nightguard is the right treatment option for you.