Orthodontic Treatments for Bruxism and Teeth Clenching

Teeth grinding is not always a cause for concern. However, if you find that you grind your teeth at night to the point of causing pain or damaging your teeth, you’re likely dealing with bruxism.

Bruxism is the habitual and unconscious grinding or clenching of your teeth. Bruxism tends to occur at night while sleeping and can be caused by a variety of different issues, including stress or misalignment of teeth.

Treatments for Bruxism

If you have been diagnosed with bruxism, there are several orthodontic treatments that can help. The following are some of the most common orthodontic treatments for Bruxism, which we offer here at Remarkable Smiles.

Night Guards and Splints

After evaluating your bite, Orange County orthodontist Dr. Mark Rashidi may decide that you would benefit the most from an appliance called a night guard, although it is occasionally referred to as a “splint.”

With a night guard, a custom mold is made of your mouth and used to create a rubber mouth guard that is formed to your teeth for comfort. This guard is then worn when you sleep, giving you a barrier between your teeth and making it more difficult to put excess pressure.

This gives you a buffer to protect your teeth and reduces the wear and tear the grinding can cause. It also helps to teach your muscles surrounding the joint to begin to relax, reducing the urge to grind your teeth.

Braces for the Treatment of Bruxism

Many doctors believe that misalignment of the teeth can play a big factor in bruxism. If the teeth are not lining up properly this can create a perfect environment for the grinding to occur and lead to more damage to the teeth and jaw joints. Fixing the alignment of the teeth using traditional orthodontics can resolve bruxism and the resulting symptoms of jaw pain, tooth pain and chronic headaches.

Additional Treatments for Bruxism

In addition to these orthodontic treatments, you may need to treat the causes of Bruxism at their source. Your custom mouth guard will help you stop the effects of tooth clenching, but if the clenching is caused by other issues, such as anxiety and stress or sleep apnea, you may need to consider treating those issues as well in order to control your habit.

Call Us For an Evaluation

Based in Mission Viejo in Southern California, Remarkable Smiles specializes in orthodontics and the treatment of bruxism. If you would like to see what options are available for you, please contact our office today for a free consultation with Dr. Rashidi at (949) 770-8011.