When I had a badly decayed tooth extracted, I got a partial denture to fill in the gap. I didn't mind it at first, because I was just so happy to have my painful tooth out of my mouth. Over time, I began to get tired of taking it out at night. I asked my dentist if I was could get a dental implant, and he said that my gum disease did not make me a good candidate, but a fixed bridge may be a good option for me. I went with his suggestion, and I have no regrets. I love feeling like I have a real tooth again that I don't have to remove at night. I created this blog to remind other people with a missing tooth that they have many replacement options, and if one is not for you, then try another that may be right.
Bruxism is a dental term used to refer to the actions when a person clenches his or her jaw and grinds his or her teeth. These actions take place while a person is sleeping, and therefore, he or she does not even know that it is really happening. While some people do not experience a lot of negative effects from this condition, others do, and here are some of the common negative effects caused by bruxism.
Jaw pain
One common effect of this condition is jaw pain. Jaw pain happens from it because of the stress and pressure grinding and clenching place on the tendons, muscles, and tissues in the jaw joints. If you wake up feeling jaw pain, it could be due to this condition. Along with jaw pain, people will often experience pain in their ears, neck, head, and face too.
If you do not treat this problem fast enough, you could develop temporomandibular joint disorder, also called TMJ. This condition causes major jaw pain all the time and can interfere with eating and speaking. It can also make it difficult for you to open your mouth, and it can lead to other problems.
Enamel erosion
Secondly, bruxism can cause enamel erosion. Enamel erosion occurs in many ways, and one way is through grinding of the teeth. When you grind your teeth, you rub them together in a forceful way. Over time, this causes your teeth to wear down, and the first layer of teeth will go first. The first layer is enamel, and that is why enamel erosion occurs with bruxism.
Additionally, bad cases of bruxism can also cause teeth to shorten. If you rub away at your teeth consistently night after night, your teeth will eventually wear away and get smaller. If this happens, you may need to get dental veneers or crowns placed on your teeth to improve the looks of your teeth and to protect your teeth.
These are the main effects that you can experience from untreated bruxism. Dentists are able to treat this condition in several ways, but the simplest method is by giving you a custom-made mouthguard to wear while you sleep. Wearing this keeps your teeth from touching together and protects your jaw joints.
If you suspect that you might have bruxism, talk to a dentist. Leaving this condition untreated will only cause problems, and you can get treatment for it by visiting a dentist, like those at Lake Pleasant Dentistry.
Share5 August 2018
