Find Relief for Teeth Grinding
People who grind their teeth, whether consciously or not, are unaware of the damaging effects it has on your smile and overall health. If you’re dealing with jaw pain or constant headaches, you may be suffering from teeth grinding, or bruxism. It’s important to seek treatment for this condition to prevent future complications.
At Just Smile Dental, our expert Everett dentist, Dr. Webley provides effective treatments to patients suffering from bruxism. Read on to discover if the solutions are what you need to alleviate your symptoms.
What Is Bruxism?
Bruxism is a condition in which you excessively grind or clench your teeth, which can cause damage to your temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This can be caused by misaligned teeth, stress, or sleep disorder.
There are two different types of bruxism:
- Awake bruxism is when you unconsciously clench your teeth during the daytime.
- Sleep bruxism is a sleep-related movement condition that occurs when you clench or grind your teeth during sleep.
Signs & Symptoms of Bruxism
Symptoms of teeth grinding include:
- Jaw, neck, or face pain or soreness
- Frequent headaches
- Loud clicking sounds when opening the mouth
- Tightening or clenching jaw muscles
- Sore muscles in the mornings
- Tooth sensitivity to hot and cold foods
Treatments for Teeth Grinding/Bruxism
Nightguards/Occlusal guards
Dr. Webley offers customized night guards and occlusal guards via digital scans for accurate placement to alleviate painful symptoms. This removable appliance fits snugly over your upper or lower teeth to prevent clenching and grinding your teeth. It can also help protect your teeth from further damage.
Instead of using messy putty impressions to craft out your custom guards, Dr. Webley uses digital scans. This scanner consists of a wand-like device attached to a cord connected to the computer to map out your oral structure in just a few seconds. Furthermore, if you lose your guards or it gets broken, we can provide you with another guard from our record that was digitally stored.
Injections
If you’re suffering from a tensed or sore jaw, neck, or face, Dr. Webley provides injections to effectively eliminate or greatly reduce the muscular activity of the clenching muscles. During your consultation, he’ll evaluate your condition and create your treatment plan based on the severity of dysfunction and level of discomfort. Our Everett dentist also offers ozone therapy injections to alleviate TMJ symptoms.
Occlusal Analysis & Equilibration
During your consultation, Dr. Webley will perform a thorough occlusal analysis of your teeth and jaw. If Dr. Webley finds you’re suffering from malocclusion, meaning your teeth’s position isn’t properly aligned when the jaw closes, he can provide occlusal equilibration treatment.
This treatment ensures your teeth come together correctly by doing a minor reshaping on your teeth. This will allow for the jaw joint to be seated completely in the socket. Furthermore, it’ll allow your jaw muscles to relax, which can eliminate pain and sensitivity in just a few days.
Frequently Asked Questions
When you choose to undergo bruxism treatment, you’ll be able to avoid future complications that require expensive restorative treatments. With effective treatment, you can:
- Protect your teeth against further damage
- Reduce jaw or muscle pain
- Minimize tooth sensitivity
- Alleviate headaches
- Protect your jaw from stress and discomfort
Seeking professional treatment can help you stop grinding your teeth and prevent the need for costly dental care in the future. There are several reasons why you grind your teeth, it can range from anxiety, stress, malocclusion, or sleep apnea. Seeking treatment allows our dentist to find the cause of your teeth grinding and find the treatment that’s effective for your unique situation. Call our Everett office at (425) 341-1111 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Webley.
Treat Your Symptoms With Dr. Webley
Don’t wait until your oral health becomes damaged, seek bruxism treatment as soon as possible. Call our Everett, WA office at (425) 341-1111 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Webley. You can also request an appointment by clicking the “get started” button below.
The team at Just Smile Dental proudly offers its services to patients in areas such as Edmonds, Marysville, Lynnwood, and Silver Firs, WA. We look forward to helping you protect your smile!