Bruxism/TMD Treatment in Kingsley
Considering how stressful the world is that we live in, it’s not surprising that many people clench or grind their teeth at night. If they have a sleeping partner, they might hear that grinding, but it’s not always the case with clenching. More than an annoyance, this habit can wear down the teeth and affect the jaw joint. If you clench or grind your teeth, you may benefit from a custom-made nightguard at Serene Smiles Perth.
Protect Your Pearly Whites From Excessive Pressure
When you grind your teeth, you’re putting excessive forces on the teeth and jaw joints. Astoundingly, we can put up to 1000 kilograms of pressure onto our teeth when we’re clenching at night, because we’re just not aware of it. That clenching action puts significant pressure on the disc in the jaw joint, and, of course, a lot of pressure on the teeth.
For those who have been clenching and grinding their teeth for a long time, we start to notice that the teeth may crack or wear down, the jaw joints may become displaced, and there can be clicking in the jaw joint. We find this can cause pain in the jaw joints and muscles, as well as clicking or crunching in the jaw joint area, which would need further treatments.
Relax Your Muscles With Injectables
If you’re like some who are unable to tolerate a splint, or perhaps you clench during the day, we recommend muscle relaxant injections.
The dentist will place the injection in the jaw muscles, which would reduce the strength of what you can clench with. Whilst the nightguard helps to protect the teeth and the jaw joint, it doesn’t stop you from clenching or grinding, whereas the muscle relaxant injections do. Over the long term, these injections can reduce the habit.
Whilst initially, you will likely need to get this treatment every four to six months because the effects wear off—if you are getting it done regularly, you might find that the muscle relaxant reduces the clenching or grinding habit. Therefore, getting the injections only needs to be done less frequently, as you do the treatment for longer periods.
Other Natural Approaches
In addition to the use of these treatments, there are several other things we can recommend, such as the use of magnesium supplements and placing heat packs on the area if it’s sore. Anti-inflammatory medications are helpful in providing short-term relief of acute bouts of pain. Our dentists can also recommend various helpful exercises when you come in for an appointment.
Schedule an Appointment
If you clench or grind your teeth, we want to help. Contact us today to book an appointment with one of our dentists.
Any invasive or surgical procedure may carry risks. Before moving forward, it is recommended that you seek a second opinion from an appropriately licensed medical professional.
