What is bruxism?

Bruxism is the involuntary clenching or grinding of your teeth. It usually happens during sleep, but some people experience it when they are awake. Bruxism is commonly caused by emotional or physical stress, mental concentration, incorrect tooth alignment, drug misuse or erupting teeth in children.

The signs and symptoms of bruxism can include:

  • Wear on teeth causing sensitivity to hot and cold
  • Broken, chipped or fractures to teeth
  • Pain in the jaw joint muscles
  • Facial pain with tension headache caused by intense muscle contractions
  • Grinding sounds while a person is asleep
  • Raised tissue on the cheek caused by cheek biting

Teeth grinding can cause the following oral health problems:

  • Cracked tooth enamel
  • Excessive wear on teeth
  • Broken teeth or restorations
  • Strain on the joints and soft tissue of the jaw joint
  • Enlargement of the jaw muscles
bruxism

Treatment of bruxism

Clenching and grinding when you are awake can be avoided by monitoring your behaviour and consciously stopping yourself. Unfortunately, teeth grinding and clenching during sleep is involuntary and at this stage there is no treatment to stop you from doing it completely. Damage to your teeth and jaws can be minimised by wearing a custom night guard over your teeth called an occlusal splint. A splint is made from hard acrylic and fits securely over your upper or lower teeth. The splint will act as a barrier to protect your teeth, so when you grind, you will wear down the splint instead of your teeth. While the main purpose of a splint is to protect your teeth, it may also help your jaw muscles relax. If you are aware that you grind your teeth or have any symptoms outlined above, see your dentist to assess your situation and discuss your treatment options.

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Management of jaw pain

If you are experiencing jaw pain, your dentist will assess your situation to see what is causing your problem. Once the cause is identified, your dentist will be able to recommend the best way to manage your condition. In some cases, your dentist may recommend seeing a physiotherapist, a specialist or your general practitioner for management.

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What Our Client Says

Patient Reviews

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Had my front teeth fixed at Greenland dental, best experience, Dr Catherine was very gentle, did not feel any pain at all. Her assistant Caitlyn was very professional and reassuring. Now I can smile with confidence again!

Andrea Yew

Highly recommend!
Thankyou so much Dr Catherine Chow, forever greatful you took a chance on helping me when noone else would, including both private and public hospital.
I still can't believe you were able to pull this extraction off so quickly and complication free, truely a testament to your skills.

Chantelle Wardrop

I have just had my first appointment at Greenland Dental. WOW! What a great team. From the reception staff to treating staff, they were all such a pleasure.
Dr Catherine was very thorough, not only working on the tooth I was there to receive treatment on, but identifying some other problematic teeth and providing options for future treatment. I will definitely be returning for future procedures.

Crystal Pennell

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For more information about our team and services at Greenland Dental, and our approach to conducting bruxism and jaw pain, contact us today via the website or call us on (07) 5495 4266. We pride ourselves in offering reliable and comprehensive dental services in Caboolture that will restore and repair a wide range of dental complications. Book an appointment with us today to transform your smile.

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