Occlusal Guards

According to the American Dental Association, 10 to 15 percent of all adults are having frequent problems with teeth grinding. In fact, if you wake up every morning with soreness in your jaw or if you notice that your teeth are starting to hurt out of nowhere, you might need to consider getting an occlusal guard.  

Did you know that Bruxism, the term used to describe the gnashing of teeth, is derived from the Greek word brygmós? Bruxism is characterized by the grinding of the teeth (sliding your teeth back and forth over each other) and typically includes a gnashing action and the clenching of the jaw (tightly holding your top and bottom teeth together).

Bruxism, or teeth grinding, is referred to as an oral parafunctional activity.  This basically means that you’re asking your jawbone and teeth to do things that they weren’t necessarily constructed to do, either as a result of stress or TMD (temporomandibular joint dysfunction). In short, your teeth were intended to assist in the eating and digestive function. They weren’t intended to act as outlets or vehicles for stress relief.

Teeth grinding (Bruxism) can be caused by more than one condition. Daily stress and high levels of anxiety can kick-start this harmful habit that damages your teeth during the night. Furthermore, even if you have a broken tooth, or if you’re missing a tooth, you might start grinding in your sleep. Apnea and other sleep disorders can also have an effect on teeth grinding.

Constant teeth grinding can further damage the overall dental health of the individual. It can cause wear and tear on the teeth, sore jaw muscles, pain in the jaw and a number of other adverse effects.

You shouldn’t worry, though. Teeth grinding affects most people at some point in their lives. For most, it is mild enough to not pose health risks. For those experiencing teeth grinding in their sleep or during their naps, Bruxism can cause serious dental issues. As a side note, Bruxism is one of the most common sleep disorders.

Occlusal Guards can help safeguard your teeth while you sleep to prevent long-term damage. Dr. Shirin knows what to do to fix your teeth grinding issue. She offers Bruxism therapy with comfortable oral appliances. At A Brilliant Smile Dentist in Thousand Oaks, Dr. Etemadi works with a high end US laboratory to make you a one of kind custom mouth guard to protect your teeth from nighttime or daytime grinding. Call us, so we can help you.