Bruxism and Cosmetic Dentistry

Dentist Mehmet Zahid Kazandi 2020-02-17

Even if you are new to the word Bruxism, it is not something foreign because it is teeth grinding. This can result in continuous headache and jaw pain. Bruxism can create sensitivity and chipped teeth because of damaging tooth enamel. There are different types of bruxism that you need to know. If you have this condition, you might clench, gnash, or grind your teeth. Even if it is awake-bruxism, you wouldn’t say that you are clenching your teeth. Sometimes or most of the time, you might clench teeth in your sleep, which is sleep bruxism.

So sleep bruxism is a sleep movement disorder. The ones who clench their teeth are likely to face other disorders, such as difficulty to breath (sleep apnea) and snoring. The next type is mild bruxism; you don’t have to treat this like sleep bruxism. Some people might frequently grind teeth, and that may create jaw disorders, damaged teeth, headaches, and more issues. There are chances for a person with sleep bruxism to be unaware of it until complications occur. Therefore, it is essential to learn bruxism so that you can consult a dentist before it is too late.

Why does Bruxism happen?

As for statics, around 40 million Americans face awake or sleep bruxism. Approximately 10% have the severity, so it leads to significant damages to teeth, crowns, and dental fillings. However, bruxism reduces with age. Adults under the age of 30 cover 13%, whereas those who are above 60 years with bruxism are only 3%.

As for research, bruxism is often found in children. They face sleep bruxism when they are at the age of 3. However, the habit outgrows when they reach the age of 5-6 when the permanent teeth start to burst out. Anyway, coming to the point, why does bruxism happen? Even the doctors have no clue regarding why it happens. But there are risk factors that increase the level of bruxism such as genes, sleep disorders, drug addiction, tobacco usage, and more.

The underlying factor of bruxism is anxiety or stress, and 70% of bruxism issues are from stress or anxiety. Adults who deal with intense emotions, aggressive nature, and hyperactive behaviors tend to develop bruxism. Bruxism is sometimes a coping strategy relayed to biting nails, lips, or cheeks. The ones who have severe sleeping disorders have a higher chance of getting bruxism.

Are veneers possible with bruxism?

As teeth clenching may lead to cracks, chips, and many other issues, you can fix it with porcelain veneers. But there’s a problem with getting on porcelain veneers, and they might break just like your natural teeth if you have bruxism. So, unfortunately, if you have had a bad experience with bruxism, you might not become one of the candidates to get porcelain veneers.

How to treat bruxism?

You will not be able to treat bruxism super easily because it has no cure. But the level of severity can be taken down through a few therapies. Along with therapies, improved sleep quality and lifestyle medication can help people with bruxism. Stress and sleep hygiene are prominent factors that treat bruxism. Here are some of the tips that you can follow:

• Follow a consistent bedtime.
• Engage in yoga, meditation, and exercise to reduce stress.
• Do activities that would reduce jaw tension.
• Avoid hard foods to offer relaxation to your jaw muscles.
• Eliminate caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.

So summing up, it is always the best to visit your dentist if you are struggling with bruxism. Even if you are following the above tips, it is still better to consult your dentist.