teeth grinding conceptWhen your tendency to grind and clench your teeth while you sleep goes unaddressed, your smile can suffer the consequences. That habit generates a worrying degree of friction, something that can result in your enamel chipping or cracking. This habit can also make your teeth look worn and uneven. The damage to your tooth structure can do more than just hurt the way you look. The progressive wear and tear can lead to oral health difficulties that you will need to address with more involved treatment. Our Mansfield, TX dental practice can help you avoid the consequences of habitual teeth grinding, a problem known as bruxism. For patients who have already suffered noticeable damages, we can also recommend effective treatment solutions.

The Trouble With Nightly Teeth Grinding And Clenching

You can stop yourself from reflexively grinding or clenching your jaw while you are awake. However, you have limited control over this kind of activity while you rest, which is why people who grind their teeth as they sleep are at risk for serious enamel damage. The continual wear and tear can affect how you look before ultimately doing the kind of harm to your enamel that requires restorative dental work.

Certain warning signs make it easier to recognize when bruxism is a matter to discuss with your dentist. If you notice that your teeth are starting to look flat or worn, often wake up with jaw or facial pain, or find that persistent jaw stiffness is happening more frequently, book an appointment. In doing so, you can learn how you can protect yourself while you rest.

Using A Custom Guard To Protect Your Smile As You Sleep

With a custom oral guard, you can keep your smile safe while you remain asleep. Our practice takes care to provide guards that are carefully made, as this ensures that they remain secure and comfortable. While you rest, yours can keep your teeth apart so that no further harm from grinding and clenching occurs. This will also help you keep your jaw still enough to prevent issues with TMJ disorder from developing or worsening.

What Can Be Done About Dental Damage Caused By Bruxism?

If you already have problems with your smile from wear and tear, we can look at whether restorative dentistry or cosmetic dentistry might be right for you. Cosmetic services are more conservative in nature, so we can preserve more of your natural tooth structure. With restorative treatments, we can ensure that you have no difficulties biting and chewing, and we can take on your vulnerability to infection or further injury.

Talk To Your Mansfield, TX Dentist About Help For Your Teeth Grinding Issues

To find out how we can help you with your teeth grinding issues, call Mansfield Dental Associates in Mansfield, TX today at 817-473-6227.