TMD/Bruxism Night Guards Ville Saint-Laurent
Bruxism is a condition in which you grind or clench your teeth. If you have bruxism, you may unconsciously clench your teeth when you're awake, or clench or grind them during sleep. Mild bruxism may not require treatment. However, for some people, bruxism can be frequent and severe enough to lead to jaw disorders, headaches, damaged teeth and other problems.
Signs and Symptoms of Bruxism
- Wear and abrasion of teeth
- Headaches
- Breaking of fillings, crowns, or dentures
- Fracture and loosening of teeth
- Mobility of teeth
- Oral facial pain
- Pain in the jaw and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in the morning
- Interruption of sleep of the spouse because of the noise caused by tooth grinding.
Missing teeth can worsen the bruxism and stress and hyperactivity. The solution is wearing a biteplate at night to prevent grinding and tooth wear. The biteplate reduces muscle tension and also protects your teeth. The replacement of missing teeth by implant, bridge or denture could improve bruxism.
There is still little information on the cause of bruxism, but anxiety seems to be the trigger that can aggravate bruxism.
It is estimated that 8% of adults and nearly 14% of children grinded they teeth a few times a week.
The prevalence of bruxism decreases with age, rising to 12% in teenagers and to 3% among people aged over 60.
It's important to talk to your dentist if you feel you are experiencing any of these bruxism symptoms. Regular dental checkups can also reveal problems with your teeth if you regularly grind or clench them. Your dentist can recommend a mouthguard so you don't damage your teeth.
TMD stands for Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, and typically this disorder presents in pain in the areas of the joints holding the upper and lower jaw together, which may result in difficulty for the patient in moving the jaw.
Signs or symptoms of TMD include pain and tenderness in or around the ear, the jaw or the muscles face or temples. Other symptoms are problems opening or closing your mouth, and a clicking, popping, crunching or grinding noise when you chew, yawn or open your mouth. TMD may be linked with neck pain and headaches. In most cases, TMD are caused by a combination of factors like jaw injuries and joint disease, such as arthritis. It is believed that bruxism and head or neck muscle tension may make TMD symptoms worse. Stress is also a possible factor.
Management of bruxism includes relaxation, physiotherapy and the port of a biteplate to prevent dental damage. Designed custom from impressions of the teeth, a biteplate is a gutter acrylic that covers the surface of teeth chewing. It is worn day or night and prevents the upper teeth to make contact with the lower teeth.
In addition, some recommendations can be made for patients:
- Avoid smoking in the evening
- Avoid excessive alcohol
- Avoid sleeping on your back
- Avoid noise in the bedroom
How can your dentist help with TMD
To properly diagnose TMD, your dentist will conduct a thorough medical and dental evaluation and may take certain X-rays (panoramic) to evaluate the jaw joint and surrounding structures and check your occlusion. He may check the muscles and tissues of the head and neck to test for inflammation. Certain exercises and movements may be involved, and you may get a referral to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon for further evaluation and diagnosis.
