Bruxism, grinding and clenching, mostly happens during sleep, with forces that can exceed normal chewing many times over. Most grinders have no idea until the evidence surfaces: flattened teeth, morning jaw ache, headaches at the temples, chipped edges, or a partner who has heard the squeaking.
Unchecked grinding wears enamel to dentin (making teeth sensitive and yellow), fractures teeth and dental work, strains the jaw joints (TMJ pain, clicking, locking), and contributes to gum recession. We routinely see the bill for a decade of ignored grinding, and it is a big one. A nightguard is the cheap insurance policy.
A professionally made nightguard is a slim, precise appliance, nothing like bulky drugstore versions, that cushions the forces and lets muscles relax. Made from a digital scan of your teeth, it fits securely, allows normal breathing, and lasts for years. Most patients adapt within a few nights and soon cannot sleep comfortably without it.
Grinding correlates with stress, sleep-disordered breathing, bite discrepancies, and certain medications. At your assessment we examine wear patterns, muscles, and joints, and screen for sleep apnea, because grinding is sometimes the nervous system's response to a struggling airway, and treating that treats the cause. Sleep Apnea
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