Teeth Grinding

I grind my teeth
I have jaw pain
I clench my jaw

Teeth grinding, also known as Bruxism, is the process of clenching the jaw and grinding the teeth which in turn can cause severe tooth damage and wear, as well as jaw pain, headaches and earache.

It is important to note that in most cases, teeth grinding is usually only a severe issue if it is a persistent and re-occurring habit. If you happen to find yourself clenching your jaw, grinding your teeth and experiencing facial muscle pain then a visit to the dentist may be required.

On consultation, your dentist will examine your mouth for tooth wear and loss, and sensitivity, whilst also asking you questions as to how often you may think you’re grinding your teeth. Depending on the individual, dental treatment may be required to keep teeth intact and healthy, and prevent further, more serious issues, such as infection or dental abscess.

View Treatment Options

There are several solutions to tackle teeth grinding:

Dental Devices for Bruxism are usually identified by consultation from a doctor or dentist. Treatment will depend on severity of tooth damage, and frequency of tooth grinding or clenching. Assessment must be based on an individual approach as there are many symptoms and causes linked to bruxism, and sometimes can only be severe if persistent. On consultation, patients will be assessed on how frequently they grind or clench their teeth (at night or during the day), pain jaw points, headaches and earaches, worn teeth, tooth pain or sensitivity and roughness to the tissue of your inner cheek. As there are variety of causes and symptoms, it is vital to book yourself a consultation if you have any concerns, and your doctor or dentist will be able to advise you further on treatment.

Treatments could include therapy for stress behavioural disorders, for example, if you suffer from anxiety, aggression or excessive amounts of stress, treating this with counselling or appropriate medication and therapies may be a first point of action.

If grinding or clenching is not caused by stress, there are splints and mouth guards which can be provided by your dentist to prevent you from grinding your teeth together, which are wearable during the night. In conjunction with this, there are over the counter mouth guards such as Nobrux Dental Guards, approved by the British Dental Health Foundation Dental Treatment, which are also considered an effective treatment. Alongside this, if teeth have been severely damaged through teeth grinding, dental crowns can be placed for restoration.

Dental Device Cerezen is a revolutionary, customised new medical device that also effectively treats jaw pain and symptoms associated with teeth grinding and clenching. Cerezen is made from a 3D printed rigid material which is inserted into the ear canal to retain shape effectively relaxing the jaw. This leads to reduced grinding and clenching, and helps to tackle the jaw pain. The ear canal is a perfect target area to treat for bruxism, as it is opens and closes as we move our jaw. It is close to the TMD (Temporomandibular joint), and so makes it a perfect place to target source of symptoms.

Dental devices are also available to treat TMJD/TMD which is also a condition linked closely to the symptoms of Bruxism, cleaning and grinding your teeth. It is a condition that cause irregular, or constant jaw pain, which in turn makes talking, yawning, chewing or even resting of the mouth and jaw uncomfortable and painful. Dental devices for TMJD are recommended to tackle discomfort for sufferers by aligning the teeth. They also help to ease both physical and mental symptoms.

Depending on individual consultation, treatment for Bruxism, grinding and clenching of the teeth, should improve pain and discomfort, restore worn or damaged teeth and look to help tackle the issue long term.

For those who do suffer from TMJD, dental devices can hugely change your life by improving comfort and health of the mouth, and improving relaxation and lifestyle.

If teeth grinding is severe, and happens to be left untreated, serious issues can arise such as infection or dental abscess. Abscesses do not disappear on their own so it is important to treat teeth grinding, or abscesses as soon as possible, to prevent further damage of the mouth, teeth and gums.

This will depend on severity of teeth grinding and level of treatment of individual. You will be able to receive more information on consultation with your doctor or dentist.