Diagnosing bruxism

[Anonymous]

Bruxism is an anomaly where the person affected grinds his or her teeth. Bruxism occurs in most people, but is often light, or occasional, and does not affect someone’s health. But when tooth grinding becomes more frequent, it may initiate significant complications, leading to severe damage towards the jaws and teeth.

Since teeth grinding occurs mostly during sleep, people may not be aware of it. However, a migraine or jaw pain, especially in the morning, are symptoms that suggest the presence of bruxism. Many people learn that they grind their teeth from their spouses who hear teeth grinding during the night.

        

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[drmittal]

TREATING BRUXISM
Bruxism is really a practice of grinding the teeth together frequently or even the clenching of the teeth. For many reasons, tooth grinding mostly happens at night while asleep, however it sometimes occur throughout the day as well as when awake. Against just what most bruxers think, the results of this habit can be very devastating to the health. That is why various bruxism treatment are already created gradually.

Bruxism is the term that describes an incessant grinding and clenching with the teeth unintentionally, and most of it in an inappropriate times. Bruxers (persons that suffered bruxism) are usually unaware that they’ve developed this particular habit, and often don’t know which medication is available until damage to the mouth and tooth may be happened. Damage brought on by bruxism often consists of these particular signs and symptoms. However, every individual may suffer symptoms in different ways.

Treatment approaches include biofeedback exercises, massed negative practice, alternation in sleep positioning, drug treatment, psychotherapy, hypnosis, occlusal orthotics, and stress reduction and coping techniques. While the the signs of bruxism in grown-ups may be treatable, the condition usually cannot be cured. Treatment concentrates on reducing acute signs and symptoms and limiting permanent sequelae. Treatment ought to be provided jointly through the patient’s family physician as well as dentist.

A dentist will recommend remedy for bruxism which prevents further injury to the teeth. An adequately made mouth guard could be the common and incredibly efficient solution to stop bruxism. This can protect both the lower and upper servings in the tooth. A night bruxism guard which fits exactly as it shouldn’t only minimize the chances of subconscious grinding, however it will even boost a person’s bite. However if your teeth have suffered the harm from bruxism, there are procedures that the dentist can suggest which may restore almost all of the damage.

        

[drmittal]

A LOOK AT GINGIVITIS, PERIODONTAL DISEASE AND BRUXISM

Gum disease, also known as gingivitis, is a serious condition that will normally result in tooth loss. With adults, gingivitis and periodontal disease are the most common forms of gum disease. To prevent both types of gum disease, you should always brush your teeth and remove as much plaque as possible. If you allow the plaque to build up, gum disease will normally be the result.

Gingivitis is known as inflammation in the tissues of the gums. If plaque and tartar build up along the gum line, the gums will eventually get swollen and irritated. Over time, the gums will get very tender and start to appear puffy. When you brush your teeth, you’ll notice that your gums have become very sore and they will start to bleed with little to no pressure. If you notice blood when brushing, chances are you have gingivitis. Anytime you brush your teeth or floss, there shouldn’t be any sign of blood.

During this stage of gingivitis, there is no loss of bone structure. You can help to prevent gingivitis though, through flossing and brushing a few times a day. If you have gingivitis and you don’t do something about it, it could lead to periodontal disease. Those who don’t treat gingivitis or those who keep poor oral hygiene habits, will normally end up with periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is a condition in which the bone and surrounding structures are destroyed. Even though this form of mouth disease cannot be reversed, you can put a stop to it’s progression by going to your dentist on a regular basis and brushing your teeth a few times day. Periodontal disease is a serious condition, which is why you should always try to stop the progression or even better – never let your gums and teeth get this bad.

If you don’t do something about the progression of periodontal disease, the condition will continue to get worse. During the early stages of the disease, you’ll notice that your gums appear to be bright red, and very sore. This is due to the plaque building up below the gum line. When left untreated, the plaque and tartar that is below the gums will continue to eat at the teeth.

Keep in mind that plaque doesn’t need to be visible or detected in order for periodontal disease to be diagnosed. To determine if you have periodontal disease, you’ll need to have your dentist examine you on a regular basis. Your dentist can perform tests on your gums and your teeth, to determine if you have it and stop bruxism. If you do have periodontal disease, your dentist can tell you how to stop the progression and prevent things from getting any worse than they already are.

Periodontal disease, gingivitis and night bruxism aren’t normally painful and both tend to progress in a slow fashion. Although you may not be aware that you have either of the two at first, the symptoms and signs will start to show in the later stages. Once the later stages have started to progress, you’ll normally end up losing the tooth.

To be on the safe side and protect your teeth and your gums and ask for bruxism treatment, you should always go to the dentist for your regular checkups and cleaning. If you catch it in time, your dentist will be able to help you treat the earlier stages of gum disease. You don’t want to wait until it is too late, as the more advanced stages of gum disease can completely destroy your teeth and gums – and there will be little to nothing that you can do about it.

        

[drmittal]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TOOTH DECAY AND BRUXISM

In order for tooth decay to be developed in a tooth, that tooth must have acid producing bacteria around it, along with food for the bacteria to feed upon. Teeth that are susceptible to decay will have little to no fluoride in the enamel to fight the plaque. Fluoride can destroy decay, although it won’t be able to do much once the decay has started to eat the teeth.

Poor hygiene habits and bruxism grinding will allow the plaque and tartar to build up around teeth and speed up the process of decay. Even though your mouth has a lot of bacteria that is always present, only one type will generate the acid that results in tooth decay. Some people have active decay that is always present in their mouths. Parents with active decay can easily pass the decay on to a child or loved one through eating, drinking from the same glass, or even kissing.

Once the decay has settled in the tooth’s enamel, it will progress very slow. Once it has made it through to the second layer of the enamel, it will spread faster as it heads towards the pulp. The pulp is a vital area of the tooth, as it contains the nerves and blood supply. This is where the pain will be the most intense, as the decay will start to eat at the nerves.

Although decay can take 2 – 3 years to get through the enamel, it can make it from the dentin to the pulp in less than a year. Once it makes it to the dentin, the decay can destroy most of the tooth structure in a matter of weeks – or months. The most preventable type of tooth decay, known as smooth decay, also grows the slowest. It starts out as a white spot in the tooth, where the bacteria dissolve the enamel. Smooth decay is very common with those 20 – 30 years of age.

Pit or fissure decay is a bit more serious, forming along the narrow grooves in the chewing side of the molars. It progresses more rapidly, and can eat your teeth a lot faster than smooth decay. Due to the grooves being so narrow, it can be hard to clean them with regular bushing. Even though you may brush on a regular basis, this type of decay is hard to prevent without going to the dentist for your regular checkups and cleaning.

The last type of decay, known as root decay, begins on the surface of the root. Root decay is common with middle aged individuals. It is normally the result of dry mouth, a lot of sugar, or not taking care of your teeth. Root decay is the most difficult to prevent, and the most serious type of tooth decay so as night bruxism. It can eat teeth fast, leaving you no choice but to get the affected teeth removed.

Tooth decay is no laughing matter as well as bruxism, and should always be treated before it has time to spread and affect more of your teeth thus stop bruxism. If you visit your dentist for your regular checkups and cleaning, you can normally prevent it from starting. You should always brush on a daily basis, and use mouthwash such as Scope or Listerine to kill bacteria. Bacteria is always present in your mouth, although you can use mouthwash to kill it. If you take care of your teeth and follow the advice of your dentist, you can normally prevent tooth decay before it has a chance to eat at your teeth.

        

[Anonymous]

What are the special considerations while giving crowns in patients with bruxism?

        

[Anonymous]

What is Sleep Bruxism?

Sleep Bruxism is a sterotyped movement disorder characterized by grinding or clenching of the teeth during sleep. The disorder has also been identified as nocturnal bruxism, nocturnal tooth-grinding and nocturnal tooth-clenching.

What are the Symptoms?

The symptoms of Sleep Bruxism are tooth-grinding or tooth-clenching during sleep that may cause:

* abnormal wear of the teeth
* sounds associated with bruxism (It’s about as pleasant as fingernails on a chalkboard!)
* jaw muscle discomfort

How serious is the disorder?

Some people have episodes that occur less than nightly with no evidence of dental injury or impairment of psychosocial functioning. And others experience nightly episodes with evidence of mild impairment of psychosocial functioning. Yet others have nightly episodes with evidence of dental injury, tempomandibular (jaw) disorders, other physical injury or moderate or severe impairment of psychosocial functioning.

When someone with suspected sleep bruxism has a polysomnographic test there is evidence of jaw muscle activity during the sleep period and the absence of abnormal movement during sleep. Other sleep disorders may be present at the same time, e.g., obstructive sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome.

Damage to the teeth needs to be stopped. Pain and injury to the jaw may require surgery.

How is it treated?

If the damage is not advanced, your dentist can make you a mouthguard that fits over your lower set of teeth and prevents the two sets of teeth from grinding against each other. See below for treatments using neurofeedback to reduce stress, etc.

        

[Anonymous]

simple words, bruxism means clenching or grinding of teeth. This condition can happen to anyone irrespective of age and gender. Some people clench their teeth when they are worried or angry but this is not termed as bruxism. Many people clench their teeth while sleeping and they don’t even know that they were doing so. This is common in kids while adults can clench their teeth in daytime as well as nighttime.

If bruxism is not treated then in future life it can lead to jaw discords, damage to teeth and heavy headaches. People get warned about their condition only after some complication arises and many times they just neglect it. One important question that arises here is how one can find out whether they have this condition. As the grinding of teeth happens in night, it is quite a task to know the answer for this one.

Chipped teeth, worn tooth enamel, highly sensitive teeth, pain in jaw, earache, facial pain and cheek pain are some of the common symptoms of bruxism. Though constant headache, sore jaws are two important symptoms that indicate that the person is suffering from bruxism. Or may be your partner in bed can bring it to your notice, if they hear you grinding your teeth. Once you get doubtful about your clenching of teeth in night, you will need to take help from your dentist. The dentist will examine your mouth and jaw and will decide whether or not you suffer from bruxism.

Chronic cases of bruxism can make the teeth loose and also result in fracturing of teeth. This can lead to dental procedures to place the bridges, crowns, implants, root canals and even partial and complete dentures. The severe cases of bruxism can also cause hearing loss and also make the face look disproportionate.

How can Bruxism be stopped?

The dentist will fit a mouth guard in your mouth, which will protect your teeth in the night. Often, this condition is caused due to stress. The best cure for this will be reducing the stress levels by taking counseling or by seeing a physical therapist. There are several other things that you can do to stop your teeth from grinding.

1. Avoid chocolates, coffee and other drinks that contain caffeine like colas. Also avoid alcohol, as alcohol will make the case worse.
2. Kids generally have a very bad habit of chewing their pen or pencil. This also leads to clenching of teeth. For the same reason you should not have chewing gums more than often.
3. During the daytime you can restrict the urge to clench your teeth. For doing so whenever you get the urge just hole your tongue between your teeth. This is one of the very good exercises for jaws, as it helps the jaws to relax.
4. To relax your jaws, hold one warm cloth on your cheeks and ears.
5. It is better to see your dentist even if you have just hint about your clenching of teeth.
6. Follow the advice given by the dentist and don’t just overlook your condition, as it can lead to serious troubles in future.

        

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