If your dentist in Fort Worth has told you that you have a teeth grinding problem, you shouldn’t take it lightly. Chronic teeth grinding is an involuntary activity that can cause unnecessary pain and suffering if not treated early enough.

If you grind your teeth and need professional help treating the condition, keep reading. Below, you’ll find more information about this dental disorder and two popular ways that our dentist can help you relieve it.

Why Teeth Grinding Is Such a Problem

Teeth grinding affects up to one in five American adults. Although the symptoms can be mostly annoying, some patients may experience more painful, detrimental signs of bruxism. In fact, teeth grinding can cause serious enamel wear, tooth decay, and even tooth fracturing.

In addition, teeth grinding causes other harmful side effects including the aggravation of jaw-joint disorders like TMJ Disorder and its symptoms like headaches. There are some patients that occasionally even experience loosened teeth.

How to Treat Teeth Grinding

If you grind your teeth while you sleep, you might not even know it unless your partner hears it while you’re sleeping. Little do you know, you have more control over this part of your oral health than you think.  While you can’t force yourself to behave differently while you sleep, you can prevent teeth grinding or mitigate its effects with help from your dentist.

Custom Nightguards

The most common device to treat teeth grinding are customized nightguards from your dentist. The purpose of a nightguard varies depending on the treatment goals of the dentist, and patients often must experiment to find the approach that works best for them.

You may be able to use a custom nightguard and benefit from it in these ways:

• It’s easy to take with you if you’re traveling or staying at hotels.
• It’s small and easy to pack.
• It’s customized to your bite to prevent the wear and tear or teeth.
• They are relatively easy to obtain and maintain.

Occlusal Adjustments

There is another alternative, though. For patients that have serious teeth grinding issues, they might be able to benefit from an oral surgery called an occlusal adjustment.

Occlusal adjustment is a procedure performed to remove tiny interferences that keep teeth from coming together as they are supposed to. These slight imperfections in your bite can prevent the jaw from closing in the correct position, causing abnormal teeth grinding and wear and tear.

As mentioned before, if teeth grinding persists, it can develop into a jaw disorder, TMJ disorder. This means that the muscles of the jaw and neck are never able to fully relax, resulting in severe headaches, neck aches, and tooth pain. Your dentist can help avoid all these dental problems with a simple adjustment of teeth. Every case is different, so it’s best to discuss it with your dentist during a scheduled consultation.

If you are experiencing teeth grinding in Fort Worth, your next step should be to contact a dentist as soon as possible.

About Our Office

Here at Fort Dental, we don’t just clean your teeth and gums. We help them stay strong by protecting their enamel and your bite. If you ever need help maintaining the strength and stability of your smile, our office is the first you should reach out to! Learn more about how we can help with teeth grinding with a simple call.