Teeth Grinding

What You Don't Know Can Hurt

Normal chewing results in brief intervals of contact between teeth. Under normal circumstances, your teeth should only have contact for about 5 minutes daily. Slight amounts of wear over years of use is common.

Sometimes teeth develop a flattened, worn appearance. X-rays may show unusually thin layers of enamel as if sandpaper has been drawn across the chewing surfaces of the teeth. Daily chewing shouldn't erode the enamel so much.

You Don't Even Know

Some patients develop a subconscious habit of grinding their teeth, either during the day or while they sleep. Teeth grinding is most common at night and the abrasive action usually occurs for only a few seconds at a time. There's a good chance you are unknowingly grinding your teeth at night if you wake up with a sore jaw or a morning headache. In some patients, enlarged jaw muscles develop on the sides of the face from this nighttime grinding. These muscles are, the strongest in the body for their size, resulting in them having the potential to do a lot of unnecessary damage.

The unusual activity not only wears down teeth and strains the jaw muscles, but can also harm the joints in your jaw. Damage to these joints may lead to arthritic changes, chronic pain, and popping or clicking. Once this damage is done, reversing it may be impossible or require advanced procedures.

Avoiding Irreversible Damage

If you're waking up with a sore jaw or headaches, or you've noticed chips or flattening of your teeth, we advise you to set up a consult with Dr. Noreen Goldwire. The sooner the problem receives attention, the less damage it will cause. Often a custom-fit nightguard will eliminate the symptoms while protecting your precious enamel.

Daytime habits of clenching or grinding deserve attention as well. Dr. Noreen Goldwire will analyze your bite and make sure they're moving against each other properly when you chew. Regardless of the cause, reducing the strain on your jaw and teeth as quickly as possible can save you money and time spent in the dental chair.