Mouth Splints (Bruxism) in Aspley, Bulimba and Brisbane

Bruxism, or teeth grinding, is one of the world’s most common sleep disorders, being caused by a lack of symmetry in the teeth or a disturbed sleep pattern.

It is not always clear why people start grinding their teeth, but there are a number of factors:

• Sleep disorders
• Lifestyle factors
• Stress—it is estimated that around 70% of those with bruxism do because of stress-related issues.
• Anxiety

Did you know that you could have bruxism without knowing?

While there are signs and symptoms of bruxism, the symptoms can seem fairly commonplace. For example, some of the symptoms include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Headache
• Sensitivity in the teeth
• Insomnia
• Earache

What Bruxism does to your teeth

Bruxism can cause chips in the teeth, wear of the biting surface and cracks in tooth enamel. This destroys the sharp biting surfaces and flattens the edges of teeth. Over a period of time, tooth damage will occur and may also lead to tooth loss. This is one of the reasons why it is so important that you visit the dentist, by treating bruxism early you can save yourself the need for extensive dental work.

Treating bruxism with a bite splint

At Smile Perfection Dental, we can develop a custom-made protective night guard or bite splint to prevent any further damage. A bite splint is custom designed to cover some or all of your upper or lower teeth and is one of the most popular treatment methods for bruxism, because it is non-invasive and only needs to be worn while you sleep.  A bite splint can be the difference between keeping your natural teeth and needing extensive treatment that would involve dental crowns as well as inlays and onlays.

At Smile Perfection Dental in Aspley, Bulimba and Brisbane we are a team of skilled and friendly dentists who are here to provide you with the best in dentistry. If you are suffering with jaw pain and teeth pain, please contact our friendly staff on (07) 3863 3888 or contact us via email.