Moonee Ponds dentist offers teeth grinding treatment to help you stop grinding your teeth

At some point in their lives, many people clench their jaws, grind their teeth, or experience tightness. This is often caused by stress or an overworked jaw. For some patients, this is a one-time or occasional occurrence. For others, teeth grinding, and jaw pain may linger. With offices in Moonee Ponds and Sunbury, the professional team at Smile in Style offers teeth grinding treatment to protect your teeth and provide relief for your jaw.

Teeth grinding causes

Teeth grinding often occurs at night when patients are unaware that they are even doing it. Grinding is often caused by stress or anxiety. However, an abnormal bite, missing teeth, crooked teeth, or conditions such as sleep apnoea may contribute to the problem. Chronic grinding is harmful to the teeth. It may wear down the teeth or cause them to fracture or loosen. Teeth grinding may impact the jaw as well. Patients may experience pain or problems with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ or TMD).

Early diagnosis is important for any dental issue. When it comes to teeth grinding, the earlier patients get treatment, the faster their pain and discomfort are managed and natural eating and speaking habits can resume. It is important to seek help from a dental professional to assess the jaw joints. This ensures a thorough evaluation of the teeth, bite, and symptoms to diagnose the underlying condition. When damage to the teeth occurs, dental restorations may be needed.

Treatment to stop grinding your teeth

Once a diagnosis has been made, your dentist works with you to create a customised treatment plan. Treatments are designed to relieve stress on the temporomandibular joint. Your personal plan may include a combination of the following treatments:

Mouth guard – Worn while sleeping, a mouth guard is customized to fit around your teeth. This protects your teeth from the grinding action. You are unable to clench the jaw or grind the teeth which minimize stress on the jaw. Mouthguards are good for patients who are unaware they are even grinding their teeth.

Low Level Laser – Works by penetrating deep into the tissues and relieving pain and inflammation of the jaw muscles.  It also gives all of the cells a boost of energy to accelerate healing.

Cold compresses – Reduce minor jaw swelling and discomfort by placing cold compresses on your jaw.

Anti-inflammatory medications – Over-the-counter pain medications may help reduce swelling or pain.

Prescription medications – When the muscles are tense and tight from stress and grinding, prescription medications may be necessary to reduce the inflammation and relax the muscles.

Relaxation techniques – If teeth grinding is caused by stress, relaxation techniques may help ease stress and anxiety during the night. Yoga, exercise, meditation, or counseling are options to manage your stress level.

Treatment for underlying condition – Patients who grind their teeth due to sleep apnoea may need additional treatment to manage the sleep disorder first. Oral appliances, Nightlase laser treatment of the soft palate and uvula  or a CPAP machine can help open the airway to improve breathing and reduce the possibility of teeth grinding.

The goal of teeth grinding treatment is to balance the bite, to lessen stress on the jaw, and to protect the teeth. For more information on teeth grinding treatment, contact our office today to schedule your appointment. For Moonee Ponds, call 03 8400 4104 . For the Sunbury office, call 03 8001 6021 .

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