When you begin to suffer from nightly teeth grinding issues, it can be hard to recognize just how serious the problem can become. With that said, it can certainly be a cause of discomfort, as you can regularly wake up with an ache in your jaw and face, as well as feelings of dental sensitivity and pain. Unfortunately, until the problem is dealt with, it can cause worsening damage to your enamel, leading to unwelcome changes to your smile and oral health! At our Charles City, IA dentist’s office, we can provide important protection for your smile if bruxism is a concern. When appropriate, we can also help patients who have suffered dental damage because of this issue.
The Threat Of Bruxism
Be careful not to ignore the threat bruxism poses to your smile, and to your overall oral health. If you let the issue continue without treatment, you can see changes in your smile that occur as friction from grinding causes visible wear and tear. The problem can lead to chips and cracks in teeth, which can cause you more embarrassment over the state of your smile. Until you do something about this issue, it can lead to increasing concerns due to the impact on your appearance and well-being. Fortunately, your dentist can help you with both the active issue with grinding and clenching and the damage that you have experienced.
Protecting Your Smile Against Worsening Wear And Tear
To stop further wear and tear from affecting you, our practice can provide a custom oral appliance that you put in place before going to bed. By sleeping with this guard, you protect your smile at a time when you are not able to stop yourself from grinding and clenching. This protection also helps to reduce the stress on your joints and muscles, which means you can also reduce tension that is causing your jaw to ache. This provides additional relief from related issues with facial and dental pain, headaches, and other problems connected to TMJ disorder.
Dealing With Damage That Has Already Occurred
For dental damage that has already occurred, we can discuss different treatment options. You may be able to proceed with cosmetic dental work that covers up flaws that affect tooth shape and size. This is a more conservative approach to care, something that will help you avoid issues while minimizing the overall changes to your tooth structure. You can also count on us through restorative dental work to address more serious damage that threatens your oral health as well as how you look.
Talk To Your Charles City, IA Dentist About Treatment For Bruxism
Through treatment for bruxism, we can put an end to worsening wear and tear on your teeth. When appropriate, we can also make plans to restore teeth that have been harmed due to this habit. If you would like to find out more, please reach out to Central Park Dentistry in Charles City, IA today at (641) 228-1115.
