Dentist in Silver Spring MD
With so much stress in our lives today, we find that many people clench and grind their teeth. Most people are not even aware of the issue until it’s pointed out to them. The habit is more formally known as Bruxism and defined as “a habit of clenching and grinding the teeth.” This habit can be happening throughout the day or most commonly during sleep. People who have this habit may experience a sore jaw or a dull headache upon waking up.
The underlying cause of Bruxism is mostly unknown but there are factors that may contribute to it including: stress, crooked teeth, missing teeth or an abnormal bite. Either way, it’s important to recognize the problem and address it as it can have a significant health concern.
This habit can also cause severe wear on the teeth which can lead to tooth loss.
This habit can cause trauma to teeth and restorations (fillings) causing them to fracture/break. We often see people with flat tooth surface and sometimes complete wearing of the outer surface of the tooth, the enamel, which can cause sensitivity and pain. Bruxism can also gum recession and Abfractions at the gum line. Another major concern with the habit is damage to the Temporomandibular joints (TMJ) which will lead to Temporomandibular disorder (TMD).
A custom-made Comfort H/S™ (Hard/Soft) Bite Splint is the least invasive approach to treating this disorder and minimizing the damage to your teeth and TMJ. There are other modalities of treatment based on the cause and severity and we can discuss this in detail during your next dental checkup.
Can Invisalign Treatment help with clenching and Grinding?
Yes! Orthodontic appliances like Invisalign will help teeth grinding by correcting your bite by properly aligning the teeth.
How a Misaligned Bite Contributes to Bruxism?
When the teeth are not aligned properly, a patient is at higher risk for clenching and grinding habit of bruxism. The uneven pressure on teeth (the biting surface) will cause the teeth to not fit together ideally and the jaw muscles are working overtime to find the ideal position and thus irritating the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
Treatment with Invisalign Can Help
If we had to divide the bite into two categories, there would be the macroocculsion, which is the relationship between the upper and lower jaw, and the microocclusion, which is the relationship between the upper and lower teeth.
Invisalign corrects the microocclusion when teeth are not aligned properly so that teeth grinding will lessen and potentially be alleviated entirely.
Call us today at 301-565-4555 to make an appointment in our Silver Spring Maryland office with Dr. Nima Raoufinia to review your oral health and discuss the different options that are available to you.
