Teeth Grinding and Clenching
“Teeth Grinding Treatment/ Jaw Clenching Relief”
Dental Night
Guard India
What is Teeth Grinding and Clenching?
Teeth grinding and clenching, also known as Bruxism, is a condition involving involuntary holding the teeth together and tightening the jaw muscles or rubbing the teeth on each other through the day or during sleep, that can lead to severe discomfort and dental problems, such as wearing out of tooth enamel, chipped or loose teeth, etc.
In some cases, the patient may not may not realize they are grinding their teeth. If you have bruxism, you may experience the following symptoms,
- Jaw pain
- Jaw locking
- Sore jaw muscles
- Pain in the face and neck
- Toothache or sensitivity
- Migraines
- Tension headaches
- Irregular or disrupted sleep patterns
- Slow eating/ pain while eating
- Ear pain
- Loose teeth
- TMJ that sounds like popping or clicking in the jaw
- Chipped teeth
- Dull pain that begins in the temples
- Neck stiffness
- Injury resulting from biting or chewing on the inside of the cheek
Causes of Teeth Grinding and Clenching
- Poor hip alignment
- Poor neck alignment
- Incorrect teeth alignment
- Tongue tie
- Nasal obstructions & Deviated septum
- Stress & Anxiety
- Snoring & Sleep Apnea
- Having parasitic diseases such as worms in children
- Magnesium deficiency
It is important to diagnose the exact cause of teeth grinding and clenching to prepare the right teeth-grinding treatment plan. Get in touch with our TMJ neuromuscular dentist to learn more.
Neuromuscular treatment approach
A Neuromuscular dentist is a TMJ specialist who provides the right and balanced bite to stabilize your TMJ and body posture. Dr. Ankita Shah is the first and only Gnatho neuromuscular dentist in India. She is internationally trained and has years of experience in neuromuscular dentistry and TMJ.
Treatment approaches for Teeth Grinding and Clenching
- A GNM orthotic is the one that has been proven most successful as it simulates the natural structure of the jaw and teeth and balances the body posture.
- A Neuromuscular(NM) Orthotic often fails because of the bite's position and the orthotic's design.
- Teeth are meant to occlude and fit into each other. A Flat Plane Splint can never achieve that and hence often fails
- An NTI splint only sits on the front teeth, and back teeth do not occlude, so neck and shoulder pain and stiffness increase afterward.
- A dental bite or night guard for teeth is often flexible andacts like a cushion to protect your teeth from wear. It doesn't stop or resolve the symptoms of teeth grinding & clenching. Night guard for TMJ pain is only beneficial for patients who are not looking for a permanent solution for TMJ pain.
2) Posture Correction: Clenching often arises from the lower sacral pelvic region, causing the long back and neck muscles to strain, thereby affecting the head and lower jaw posture. In certain instances, addressing misalignment of the head, neck, hip, or spine through posture correction can help improve the problem of teeth clenching and grinding.
Dr. Shah is
Laser Certified
(GLOH), LLC to perform laser
frenectomies.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can prevent teeth clenching and grinding by correcting your TMJ alignment with TMJ orthotics or splints like Gnatho Neuromuscular Orthotics. You may also want to consider correcting your posture, performing jaw exercises and managing your stress and anxiety.
You can tell if you are grinding and clenching your teeth at night by looking for certain symptoms of night bruxism like jaw pain, stiff neck and shoulders in the mornings, headaches, disrupted sleep, face and neck pain, highly sensitive teeth, TMJ discomfort, ear pain, etc.
Yes, teeth clenching and grinding are common in children. It is often because of a tongue tie, magnesium deficiency, worms, incorrect bite, sleep disordered breathing or a poor pelvic and neck alignment.
When your neck is not aligned properly, it can result in muscle tension in the neck and the jaw. This misalignment of the neck will also force the lower jaw muscles to exert more effort to support the head and uphold balance, which in turn will lead to the clenching and grinding of the teeth.
Sleep bruxism is a condition where the patient grinds and clenches their teeth while sleeping. Many individuals with night bruxism are not aware of the problem and, hence, do not seek timely medical intervention.
OUR NON-INVASIVE SOLUTIONS FOR TMJ DISORDER & JAW PAIN:
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