Bruxism is categorized as the process of unconsciously grinding one’s teeth or clenching the jaw while either awake or asleep. It can cause tooth wear, increased tooth mobility, bone loss in the presence of bacteria (periodontal disease), fractures, muscle pain, temporomandibular (TMJ) joint pain, and other myofacial pain.
Bruxism is due to a variety of reasons. In today’s “stressful Covid environment,” anxiety, fatigue, and sleep apnea are more likely than ever to lead to bruxism. Bruxism is often a long-term problem. This means that dental patients will need to have regularly scheduled visits to effectively manage their condition. This year has been a record year at our office in terms of tooth fractures due to grinding. Most experts are attributing this to increased personal stress due to Covid-19. Bruxism oral appliances can help.
The question then becomes what type of appliance is best. Understanding the underlying cause of a patient’s bruxism is critical to choosing the best appliance to address their problem.
We offer a wide variety of different oral appliances to help alleviate and control bruxism and sleep apnea. Please feel free to contact our office for more details.
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