Bruxism, or teeth grinding, affects millions of patients. Our office treats teeth grinding and many dental concerns that patients have. Usually occurring during sleep, bruxism often can often go undiagnosed. Left untreated, grinding teeth during sleep can damage the jaw and teeth. This causes chronic, sometimes debilitating, headaches and facial pain. Baltimore MD dentist, Dr. Byron Desbordes, provides treatment for teeth grinding and clenching to prevent damage and further side effects to your oral health.
Symptoms of Teeth Grinding
- Chronic headaches
- Worn teeth
- Broken or chipped teeth
- Persistent sensitive teeth
- Pain or tightness in the jaw joints or jaw muscles
- Earache and/or facial pain
- Damaged tissue on the inside of your cheek
What Causes Teeth Grinding
Teeth grinding is commonly a symptom of stress-related issues. People frequently grind their teeth during sleep. Clenching your jaw in times of high pressure or stress is also a common cause. It may also be caused by a misalignment of the teeth, a bite, or a TMJ disorder. Clenching jaw in sleep can be corrected using custom mouthguards, and other oral appliances. Dr. Desbordes will recommend the appropriate appliance for your bite.
Treatment for Teeth Grinding
Dr. Desbordes has undergone extensive training for bite alignment through The Spear and Dawson academy. Dr. Desbordes provides personalized treatment planning for those suffering from the side effects of teeth grinding. Through restorative procedures and TMJ treatment, Dr. Desbordes can bring stability to your bite. TMJ/TMD treatments may prevent further damage to your teeth and jaw.
Dr. Desbordes uses a combination of behavioral therapy and oral sleep appliances. They keep the jaw in alignment and protect your teeth during sleep. Many patients find that oral sleep appliances begin to relieve their jaw and facial pain almost immediately. Worn at night, the sleep device is much like a sports mouthguard. The device pushes the lower jaw forward to keep teeth from clenching or grinding.
Protect Your Athlete’s Teeth from Grinding
A custom-fit mouthguard designed by Baltimore, MD dentist Dr. Desbordes offers improved comfort and performance to over-the-counter options.
Custom-fit mouthguards offer a full range of benefits and can be effective for patients of all ages. Kids and teens playing contact sports should consider a guard to help protect their teeth during sports. Mouthguards can help to protect braces and other dental restorations that are more expensive to repair.
- Reduce irritation of the gums and soft tissues of the mouth
- More comfortable, snug fit
- Kids and teens are more likely to wear them due
- Easily drink fluids with the guard in place
- Maximum protection in the event of an accident
- May reduce mild concussions
- Increase in athletic performance
- Do not have to waste energy biting down on the appliance to keep it in place
Dr. Desbordes will take impression molds of the patient’s mouth to design a mouthguard that fits securely. Once molds are made, the fabrication may take a few weeks.
Mouthguards are insurance on the investment you make in your child’s oral health. They can help your children maintain their beautiful, healthy smiles. Contact our Baltimore, MD dentist office or schedule a consultation online.
Give us a call at (410) 216-4023, or request an appointment online today.
Teeth Grinding FAQs
It may be difficult to know if you grind your teeth without a proper dental exam. The most obvious sign would be pain in your jaw or noticeable tooth damage. Bruxism is typically diagnosed by a dentist after they evaluate your teeth. Dr. Desbordes may look for changes in your teeth over several visits.
First, you will need to figure out why you grind your teeth at night. Sleep disorders, misaligned teeth, stress, medications, and certain habits can contribute to bruxism. Addressing your particular cause will help stop the grinding and help you find relief. If you require any restorative dental treatments, they should be completed as soon as possible to help correct your bite. Taking steps to reduce your stress or changing medications may also be necessary.
While both a sports mouthguard and an oral sleep appliance are designed to protect your teeth, they actually work in different ways. Therefore, they should not be used interchangeably. A sports mouthguard will soften a hard blow to the mouth but will do little to protect the surface of your teeth with constant grinding. A nighttime oral sleep appliance is designed to withstand grinding while you sleep!