Are you grinding your teeth?

Beautiful woman waking up with headaches

Most people don’t realize they’re grinding their teeth until damage has already been done — they might be experiencing jaw pain or their dentist noticed wear on their teeth. Maybe they’re waking up with headaches every day or, in some cases, the grinding was loud enough that their sleep partner noticed. Regardless of how they discover the problem, chances are it’s been happening for a while.

Teeth grinding is actually known as “bruxism,” which refers to any friction between the teeth outside of normal use like chewing and swallowing. If left untreated it can cause damage to jaw joints, significant loss of tooth structure, fractured teeth, or even beginning to loosen them.

What causes teeth grinding?

There are several circumstances that can lead to teeth grinding, including stress, an improperly balanced bite, sleep-disordered breathing like sleep apnea, and certain mental illnesses.

How do I stop grinding my teeth?

There’s no single answer to all of the causes of teeth grinding, but once we’ve determined the likely cause for your specific case, you can move forward with treatment. If your bite is out of balance, this can often be corrected by equilibrating the bite, moving teeth with orthodontics, or altering the anatomy of the teeth and the way they work together with purposefully planned dental work.

If your bruxism is triggered by stress, the symptom often dissipates along with the stress, so you can use a properly designed nightguard to protect your teeth temporarily. Finding healthy ways to lower your stress level will always be the best way to treat this particular cause.

In some cases, like that of a mental illness or disorder, it may be impossible to stop the grinding entirely. The priority then becomes minimizing damage using tools like a nightguard, a daytime splint to alleviate jaw pain or even botox to limit muscle activity.

How do I fix teeth damaged from grinding?

First, we have to find a comfortable joint and muscle position. Then we can repair the damage with ceramic onlays, crowns, and veneers to rebuild the lost tooth structure and restore the bite to a healthy, balanced position. This will ideally prevent further dysfunction and grinding.

For those who can’t or don’t want to have comprehensive restorative treatment like this, minimizing further damage becomes the priority. As mentioned, wearing a nightguard will protect the teeth while sleeping, and a daytime splint can alleviate severe clenching pain if necessary. Botox can also be an option to minimize muscle activity in the jaw.

Actual Patients Results

Jennifer

Issue: Years of an dysfunctional bite and grinding habits led to jaw pain and significantly worn down and broken teeth. She wanted to recreate a more youthful smile while repairing the damage and getting rid of her TMJ pain.

Solution: A deprogrammer was used to relax her muscles and find a comfortable position to rebuilt her bite into. A new mock up was made for restoring the teeth and long term provisionals were copied from that design placed on the back teeth to confirm her comfort with the changes. Once that was confirmed, the full mouth placement of e.max over zirconia crowns was completed.

More Results

What happens if I keep grinding my teeth?

If left untreated, teeth grinding can create major long-term problems. It can cause permanent damage to the jaw joint in addition to enamel loss, which exposes the teeth to an increased risk for additional wear, cavities, and sensitivity. Eventually, bruxism can cause cracking or fracturing of teeth that can require significant dental work or even tooth loss.

If you think you’re grinding your teeth, give us a call or send us a quick message. We believe in whole-body wellness, and we know bruxism can negatively affect your sleep as well as your ability to enjoy your day-to-day life. We’d love to help you restore your teeth and cure or manage your symptoms so you can get your life back.

Call Nashville Restorative Dentistry at (615) 640-8494 to schedule an appointment, or click here for a free virtual consult. We’re ready to listen and create a plan for healing that works for you.

We are equipped to handle the majority of your dental needs

We understand the importance of having a dentist you can trust. And that means not being sent off to a different specialist every time you need a new procedure. At Nashville Restorative Dentistry, we are equipped to handle the majority of your dental needs from cosmetic to restorative, implants to extractions. When you come to us, you are getting a dental team for life.

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Nashville Restorative Dentistry

Dr. Ryan M. Jones

Ryan M. Jones, DDS, FAGD, focuses on delivering excellence in dental care and creating beautiful smiles, fighting disease and inflammation, using biocompatible materials, and educating patients about their scope of treatment options. He is an alumnus of Brentwood High School, the University of Tennessee (Knoxville), and the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry (Memphis). He is a graduate and mentor for the Kois Center in Seattle, a world-class post-graduate facility focusing on comprehensive patient care. He has taken the Pikos Institute (Tampa, FL) curriculum, which is focused on advanced surgical techniques. He’s also earned a Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD) and is currently expanding his digital dentistry and Exocad knowledge in various courses.

Dr. Jones is also passionate about providing for the underserved and has taken part in many dentistry-related charity and community projects.

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Dr. Caleb M. Estes

Caleb M. Estes, DMD, FAGD, is a dedicated professional with a strong academic background and extensive postdoctoral education. After graduating from Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville and earning his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the SIU School of Dental Medicine, he has constantly pursued advanced training. He has earned a Fellowship with the Academy of General Dentistry and is a graduate of the prestigious Kois Center. Before joining Nashville Restorative Dentistry, he served in the US Army as a general dentist and a Captain, deploying alongside US and NATO forces to Afghanistan in 2015. He also completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency program with the Army during this time.

Dr. Estes’ passion is to provide excellence in clinical dentistry and patient care while using the best restorative and preventative materials available. Accomplished in both surgical and restorative dentistry, he finds great fulfillment in transforming smiles and instilling confidence in his patients.

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Virginia H.

Patient Testimonial

Issue: Severely compromised remaining natural teeth with multiple areas of decay, failing previous dental work, missing teeth, unaesthetically restored lower front implants, and extremely worn and chipped upper front teeth.

Solution: Through a detailed plan of bone grafting, implant placement, and new crowns on the remaining natural teeth – a dramatic restoration of function and cosmetic appearance was possible.

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