Many individuals suffer damage to their teeth and jaw caused by grinding their teeth, usually at night while sleeping. The condition, referred to as Bruxism, is an infliction suffered by over 10 percent of population within the U.S.
Quite often, people that grind their teeth rarely are aware that they even do it. Unless someone, such as a partner, or another family member wakes the individual up and tells them, or informs them the next morning, most have no idea they have a problem.
In those incidents, the first time the person is made aware they could be suffering from Bruxism is when their dentist informs them during a check up. If the individual has allowed the issue to go untreated for a lengthy amount of time they can begin to develop pain in their jaw. When they pay a visit to their dentist, this is when they are told they are grinding their teeth at night and this is the cause of their pain.
Problems Resulting From Grinding
When a person grinds their teeth, it is usually determined that there is an underlining issue behind the behavior. The culprit is most likely some kind of stress, but it could simply be a subconscious habit. The problem can sometimes be solved through finding the root cause, but in most cases the damage already inflicted upon ones teeth and jaw still needs to be addressed by a dentist.
A person that has ground their teeth until they begin having pain in their jaw may suffer from yet another oral infliction called Temporomandibular Disorder, or TMD. This is the term given to the pain in ones jaw. The pain is caused by damage in the Temporomandibular joint that separates the mandible from the skull. Left untreated, TMD can become worse and sometimes causes unbearable pain. Although pain killers have shown to help with the pain, it is just a temporary solution to treat the symptoms, not the problem itself. To best treat TMD, the sufferer should schedule an appointment with their dentist and decided on what would be the best treatment for each individual case.
What About Cosmetic Dentistry As an Option?
Unfortunately, most patients that have suffered from the grinding of their teeth, or TMD for an
extended period of time, are left with an unappealing smile.
Grinding ones teeth slowly erodes the enamel, the shape, the color and overall appearance of each tooth. Think of it as if someone were to take an electric sander and begin to grind away at your teeth. This type of severe damage creates uneven teeth, teeth that are two different shades of white and some teeth extremely misshapen. For those patients in which teeth grinding as altered their physical appearance, cosmetic dentistry may be recommended to correct the issue.
Having that kind of damage to your teeth could create other problems on an emotional level. The patient may be embarrassed to smile, or even self-conscious about their appearance. Indeed, having cosmetic procedures can have remarkable benefits within this area.
To find the right procedures for you, contact us at Union Square Dental. We have the experience to help you choose the solution that is best for you and your smile. For More information on Cosmetic Dentistry or to schedule a consultation, contact us at (415) 693-9139 or Info@UnionSquareDental.com