Teeth Grinding, Gnashing, or Clenching, its called Bruxism

Many people may sometimes grind their teeth (especially at night), leading to wear on the biting surface of the teeth. In dentistry, we give grinding, clenching and gnashing all the same name – bruxism. These all can all damage the teeth and lead to other health problems like headaches, neck aches and jaw pain.

Signs and Symptoms of Teeth Grinding

• • Grinding or biting sounds when you’re asleep – someone living with you may be able to tell you
  • Headache, jaw joint or ear pain
  • Aching of the teeth, temples or jaws – particularly upon waking or when eating breakfast
  • Stiffness of the face, temples of jaws
  • Clenching the jaw when stressed, anxious or concentrating
  • Sensitivity to hot and cold
  • Cracked, chipped or fractured teeth
  • Tooth indentations on the tongue or raised tissue on the cheek

What can teeth grinding cause?

Teeth grinding can lead to several complications:

• • • Excessive occlusal wear

Teeth grinding leads to excessive wear on the biting surfaces of the teeth, and over time can lead lead to the height of all the teeth in the mouth being reduced. In extreme cases, to restore your teeth to normal height you may need a ‘full mouth reconstruction’, which involves crowning many or all of the teeth in the mouth after careful planning. Read more about full mouth reconstructions here.

• • • Cracked or chipped teeth

The forces created by the constant grinding or clenching of teeth create minute stress and crack lines within the teeth. Over time, these tiny cracks join up and eventually can lead to a part of the tooth breaking off or the teeth fracturing. You may need a crown or a filling depending on how much of the tooth is broken, contact us if you need to fix a broken tooth.

• • • Jaw pain, headaches and stiff jaw muscles

If you are grinding or clenching often, or if you are grinding/clenching very hard, the muscles involved in this action  may end up being tightened very forcefully or for long periods of time. This can lead to strain on these muscles, where they might be stiff and painful. Areas that can be painful include near the ear, the cheek, the jaw, and the temples, all of which have muscles involved with clenching.

Why do people grind their teeth?

Treatment

There are many ways we can treat the painful symptoms of tooth grinding and to get rid of the habit altogether.

Jaw Exercises/Relaxation Techniques

The first thing we try to help bruxism is a series of jaw exercises to help the muscles relax. We’ll teach you exercises to do, or refer you to a physiotherapist who will look after you. These exercises may relax the jaw muscles and reduce the grinding behaviour.

Occlusal splints

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