Bruxism, Clenching, and Grinding of Teeth

With normal chewing, biting surfaces of teeth wear slightly during our lifetimes. Bruxism describes the grinding of your teeth with greater force than normal and may result in excessive tooth wear. Bruxism can destroy healthy teeth, dental work new and old, and lead to sensitivity and premature tooth loss due to wear or fracture.

Children and tooth grinding:

Children often grind their teeth when their teeth are erupting. This is not uncommon, nor is it a problem if it is mild. Once their first molars (6 year molars) are fully in place, the grinding should decrease and stop. If the grinding is still present by the age of 7 years old, this may be a sign of a developing Bite Problem, and we strongly recommend bringing your child in for an evaluation. Often, if a bite problem is developing, we can intercept this early and prevent more serious problems from developing.

Adults and tooth grinding:

There are several reasons that adults may grind their teeth at night. The majority, around 90%, of night time grinders do so due to a Bite Problem. The brain turns on a signal at night to "fix" any interferences that get in the way of the jaw muscles and teeth fitting together in a comfortable way. This "fix" typically results in the flattening and wearing down of teeth (attrition), chips and fracturing of the teeth, crowns and fillings that get in the way. This extra force placed on the teeth will also typically cause grooves to start forming on the sides of the teeth, just above the gums, that are often quite sensitive to cold and air. Over time this tooth grinding often is the cause of loose teeth, premature tooth loss and muscle and joint pain TMD. Nighttime bruxism can be quite damaging causing 3-6 times the force of our strongest bite during the day. In times of stress we are often more aware of the effects of this grinding due to a more fatigued body and restless sleep. For a small group of bruxism patients, less than 10%, the brain signal does not turn off. It is important to determine this prior to comprehensive dental treatment. For this group of people, it is important to protect their bite for life.

Treatment Options for Bruxism:

1) No Treatment

Expect further breakdown of the teeth and jaws.

Fabricate and design a Night Guard to help protect the bite.

Many times by properly diagnosing what Bite Problems exist, and then eliminating them, the jaw muscles and teeth can be placed in their most comfortable and stable positions. Most often this change will eliminate the brain signal that causes grinding in the majority of bruxism patients, eliminating the need for night guard use in the future.