If you wake up feeling tired with a constant soreness in your face or jaw, you may be suffering from a condition called bruxism. This habit often occurs unconsciously or when you are asleep. The repetitive grinding and clenching of your jaw back and forth begins to wear away at your smile’s enamel while sending extreme force into the joint of your jaw throughout the night. As the damage to your teeth progresses, you become susceptible to a host of additional oral health problems without treatment. By speaking to your dentist, you can receive a treatment to help safeguard your smile and relieve your pain.
At your Overland Park, KS, dental practice, we can provide a nonsurgical solution for protecting your teeth while you sleep. By designing a custom BPA-free mouth guard to wear at night, you can prevent each row of teeth from rubbing against one another to protect your enamel. Enjoy waking up feeling refreshed with an appliance that takes the stress off of your jaw. We can also explore cosmetic and restorative treatments to help you repair your smile after halting your nightly habit.
The Damage That Occurs While You Are Asleep
Perhaps a dentist has already told you about the symptoms of your grinding habit at a previous dental checkup. It can be easy to ignore their warning as the habit only happens when you’re not awake. But as the years go on, the wear and tear becomes progressively worse, eventually pulling your bite out of alignment and increasing the risk of other oral threats.
Because your enamel protect your teeth from the dangers of oral bacteria, bruxism can quickly lead to cavities, or even worse, painful dental infections. By preventing the damage from progressing, you can reduce the likelihood of needing additional corrective procedures in the future.
Designing Your Custom Oral Guard
When you visit our practice, we can inspect your smile to tell if you have the signs of grinding and clenching. By taking images of your teeth, we can create a digital imprint to help create a custom oral guard. When you wear your new appliance at night, the acrylic material slides over your teeth to prevent each row from touching the other. Because it is designed specifically for you, it should fit neatly to allow a peaceful sleep. In addition to protecting your teeth from wear, the guard lightens the pressure of your bite to help ease stress on the joints of your jaw.
Find Out More About Treating Your Bruxism In Overland Park, KS
If you have problems getting a quality night’s rest, you may be grinding your teeth while you sleep. To learn more about how bruxism can affect you, talk with Family First Dental in Overland Park, KS at (913)381-2600.