Treatment for Bruxism

Bruxism is clenching or grinding your teeth either during the day or at night Most people don’t realize that they are doing this because they clench or grind their teeth while sleeping. Bruxism can lead to various tooth damage, such as wearing down the surface, cracks, chips, pain, sensitivity, and a misaligned bite. People who have severe bruxism can often break dental fillings as well.

The major common symptoms of bruxism are fractured, flattened, or chipped teeth, grinding or clenching sounds while sleeping, headaches or migraines, tooth sensitivity or pain, and tightness or pain in the jaw

Dr. Cook can examine your teeth to determine if you may be suffering from bruxism. Dr. Cook can recommend appropriate treatment to stop damage and pain, as well as to correct a misaligned bite. If Dr. Cook suspects bruxism, he will perform a further examination to look for abnormal tooth wear, damage to dental fillings, or signs of fractures in your teeth. After establishing diagnose of bruxism, Dr. Cook will recommend the appropriate treatment plan.

A custom dental appliance such as a sleep guard or night guard can gives you a relief from bruxism. The night guard is designed to keep upper and lower teeth from touching while you sleep, which preventing damage. If your bruxism is related to tooth problems, Dr. Cook will correct tooth alignment. In severe cases, your teeth may need to be entirely reshaped. Stress reduction activities and behavior modification also be recommended as the part of treatment plan because bruxism is thought to be related to stress or anxiety.

Please call our office if you have symptoms of bruxism, or if you are told that you grind your teeth while you sleep. We can immediately schedule you for a consultation with Dr. Cook to discuss a night guard or alternative bruxism treatment.