What does the treatment for bruxism involve?
The best treatment for your bruxism and tooth grinding will depend on the underlying cause of the condition. Some common methods of managing teeth grinding include:
Stress management
Stress management techniques, such as meditation, exercise, and relaxation therapy, can help to reduce the frequency and intensity of grinding.
Mouth guards
Wearing a mouth guard while sleeping can help to prevent grinding. Mouth guards work by creating a physical barrier between the upper and lower teeth, preventing them from grinding against each other. At Pearl Dental Clinic, we provide soft night guards, NTi splints, and Michigan splints for management of teeth grinding and bruxism.
The first splint you try is usually a soft night guard, which is also the cheapest option. More severe cases may need an NTi splint or even a Michigan splint. It usually takes a few weeks to get used to wearing a night guard when sleeping at night. Night guards should only be worn when sleeping at night and never 24/7 as that can alter your bite.
Changing medications
If tooth grinding is caused by certain medications, switching to alternative medications may be necessary. You will need to speak to your GP regarding your medication and you should not make medication changes without first consulting your doctor.
Dental treatments
We scan your teeth with an iTero digital scanner so that we have a baseline digital record of your teeth at the present time. Future scans are compared to the current scan and the system will tell us to the micron level if you are still grinding down your teeth. You will need to wear your night guard every night for prevention and to protect your teeth from further tooth wear.
In some cases, dental treatments such as composite bonding and dental crowns may be necessary to repair any tooth wear damage that has occurred. Where possible, we recommend the more conservative treatment option of composite bonding over dental crown treatment. Composite bonding usually lasts around 3-5 years.
Find out more about composite bonding