Do you find yourself clenching your teeth multiple times a day? Does it hurt your jaw when you eat hard or crunchy foods? You may have bruxism, a dental condition marked by teeth clenching and grinding. Patients with bruxism often feel tooth pain and discomfort. Bruxism can also occur unconsciously during the day or during sleep. Oftentimes, patients with bruxism also experience TMD. We treat patients who experience teeth grinding in our Arlington Heights, IL, dental office. Our dentists help patients treat the source of their pain and prevent wear to their teeth and jaw joints.
Symptoms That Accompany Teeth Grinding
If you regularly clench and grind your teeth, you may also experience:
- Jaw pain and tension
- Tooth wear and injuries
- Pain biting and chewing
- Tight, painful jaw muscles
- Tooth pain and sensitivity
- Headaches and migraines
- Jaw clicking when eating
Please call our office if you notice any of these symptoms. We can help pinpoint where your pain is coming from and will take x-rays to see if there is wear in the teeth and jaw. It is important to receive treatment sooner than later to prevent damage to the TMJ.
Treat Teeth Grinding in Arlington Heights, IL
One of the best options for patients with bruxism is customized nightguards. We can create custom-made mouthguards to protect the teeth and prevent wear to the facial muscles and TMJ. A hard acrylic nightguard covers the top or bottom row of teeth. We take dental impressions to create nightguards and make adjustments in our office to ensure that the nightguard is even. An even mouthguard prevents the natural instinct for patients to clench and grind their teeth.
Because nightguards are acrylic, it prevents patients from chewing on their nightguards and adds strain to their jaw. Wearing a nightguard during sleep also protects teeth against dental injuries and tooth wear.
We may also recommend physical therapy for patients in conjunction with nightguards. TMD patients can learn the best exercises to relieve jaw and TMJ pain. During physical therapy, patients will also learn exercises to improve posture and relieve pain in the shoulders, arms, and back. Poor posture and tension in the muscles can contribute to TMJ disorders.
Do you clench and grind your teeth? Protect your teeth and restore your smile with TMJ treatment. Call AH Smiles for care today at (847) 230-9703. You may also schedule a dental appointment with our team online. We’re always happy to help patients find the right treatments for their smiles.