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Serving Lafayette, Louisville, Erie, Boulder
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Baseline Dental
Baseline Dental
Linda Newsome
TMJ and Bruxism
Studies have shown a link between tooth grinding and headaches. For people who grind or clench, the muscles that open and close the jaw can become painful from over use. This causes a range of symptoms from tension to migraine headaches. Fortunately, headache sufferers may now find relief with the use of night time bite splint (night guard).
Dentistry has traditionally focused on the premature tooth wear caused by grinding and clenching. These “grinders” can develop sensitivity to temperature and certain foods, and their teeth become more prone to fractures. For most people, this wear will not be visually evident until later in life when many end up needing dental work to restore teeth to their original function.
The American Dental Association estimates that 95% of the American population suffers from a grinding or clenching condition at some point in their lives.
Many people suffer from at least one of the following:
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Headaches and neck aches
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Tenderness in the jaw muscles
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Clicking, locking, or popping of the jaw
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Pain or discomfort around the ears and when you are yawning or chewing
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Jaw clenching or teeth grinding, severe or very loud
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Fracturing of teeth especially on the front teeth because of high pressure
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Teeth sensitive to cold, pressure and other stimuli
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Ringing in the ears
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Jaw muscle spasms or cramping
TREATMENT
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Controlling bad habits: chewing on ice, finger nails and pens.
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Chewing gum increases wear and tear on the joints giving little time for the jaw to relax between meals.
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Chewing on both sides of your mouth.
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Eating more of a soft diet by avoiding hard, chewy or sticky foods.
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Relaxation and stress management techniques.
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NIGHT GUARD: This appliance takes the punishment of your teeth during bruxism (clenching/grinding). A night guard is made of very hard material and is shaped like a retainer. This splint is wear between the top and bottom teeth for an ideal bite relationship. The night guard absorbs the force of clenching and grinding to reduce joint irritation and inflammation. It also protects your teeth from premature enamel wear and unnecessary tooth fracturing.
ACTUAL CASE: A Patient came to our office looking for relief from headaches and sensitive teeth. He was clearly a tooth grinder (suffer from bruxism). He had worn down a significant amount of natural tooth enamel. There were also several teeth that had cervical abfraction lesions. Abfraction lesions are holes at the gum line where enamel breaks off from tooth grinding. After the patient started wearing an occlusal guard (NIGHT GUARD) the headaches and tooth sensitivity almost completely disappeared. The patient was so happy to not have any more headaches, tight jaws, or cold sensitivity and continues to wear the appliance every night.
NIGHTGUARD
STOP THE GRIND
Closed Bite Due To Extensive Tooth Wear: This 30 year old man complained of unattractive teeth. His habits of clenching and bruxism had caused considerable tooth wear, which helped cause bite collapse, producing lip sagging and gave the face a tense look.
Full Crowns: Treatment for this patient consisted of full crowns with a slight opening of the bite position. Note how the new crowns and improved bite relationship helped produce a more relaxed lipline.