A habit of thoroughly brushing and flossing your teeth at night will help you protect your smile. However, a habit of clenching and grinding your jaw, something many people do unconsciously while they sleep, can end up having a negative impact. What can you do if you struggle with this issue? If you do not address it in time, it can cause permanent damage to your teeth, hurting your smile as well as your oral health. Our Mansfield, TX dentist’s office can provide protection for your smile, and we can also recommend services (when necessary) to respond to damage. In addition to grinding and clenching your jaw, you may struggle with aches and pains when you move your jaw during the day due to TMJ disorder.
How Nightly Teeth Grinding Hurts Your Smile
Nightly teeth grinding, also referred to as bruxism, can gradually wear down your smile while also creating problems for your jaw joints and muscles. There are different reasons why people experience this issue. It can be related to your intake of caffeine or alcohol, it can occur because of TMJ disorder, or it can be stress-related. When it becomes a nightly problem, you should make a dental appointment a priority. Going too long without intervention makes you vulnerable to real dental damage!
Using An Oral Appliance To Guard Your Teeth
A custom-made oral appliance can remain in position to guard your smile from the effects of bruxism. Our practice can supply an appliance that you can trust to protect you by keeping your upper and lower teeth separate as you rest. This protection can have an added benefit, as it can reduce the mounting stress you are putting on your jaw joints and muscles. By stopping that mounting pressure, you can protect yourself against trouble with TMJ disorder.
What Can You Do About Dental Damage That Has Already Occurred?
If you already have some concerns about your appearance because of your teeth grinding habit, we can help. With the right approach to care, we can make minimal changes to your tooth structure in order to restore your smile. In some cases, instead of moving forward with a cosmetic dental procedure, we will have to address a problem through restorative dental work. The good news is that we do have dental crowns that can provide protection and also preserve your appearance.
Talk To Your Mansfield, TX Dentist About Teeth Grinding
A nightly tendency to grind your teeth can have serious consequences. If you do not take action to protect your smile, you can experience worsening pain as well as permanent dental damage! For more information, or to discuss the treatment options available to you, please contact Mansfield Dental Associates at 817-473-6227!
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