Chronic Grinding Of The Teeth: Treatment Options Your Dentist May Recommend

Do you grind your teeth throughout the day and in your sleep? When it happens at night, you likely don't even realize it, meaning you could be seriously yet unintentionally damaging your teeth. Teeth grinding, which is typically referred to as bruxism in the dental world, can take a toll on the teeth, causing damage to the enamel and making the teeth much weaker. When the teeth become more fragile, they're prone to chipping, cracking, and breaking, which puts you at risk of losing teeth. If you want to avoid such major dental problems, talk to your dentist about various treatments, including the use of Botox. 

How Can Botox Help with a Condition Like Bruxism?

Most people who regularly grind their teeth in their sleep do so unintentionally and usually because their jaw muscles begin tightening up when they're sleeping. A good way to prevent the teeth from grinding against each other is to help the jaw relax, which is what Botox is good at doing. Some dentists offer Botox treatments and can insert these injections directly into the jaw muscles to help with a problem like teeth grinding. The thought of getting anything injected into your jaw muscles may be frightening, but the entire process is relatively painless and easy enough for the dentist to complete within minutes of your visit.

If you decide to try Botox to see if it can help with your teeth-grinding troubles, know that the treatment isn't permanent. Although it may last for several months at a time, you will eventually need to head back to the dental office for additional Botox injections when it wears off.

Is Botox the Only Treatment That Will Help With Chronic Teeth Grinding?

Botox isn't the only way to prevent chronic teeth grinding, but it is great to use when combined with other treatment methods a dentist would recommend. Your dentist may encourage you to get a mouthguard to wear when sleeping, which goes over the teeth and makes it nearly impossible for you to grind them. If you're wearing a mouthguard and have a relaxed jaw because of Botox, the chances of you grinding your teeth or dealing with damage from it are meager.

Grinding your teeth at night can weaken them, causing chips, cracks, and loose teeth. If you're regularly grinding your teeth and don't know how to stop it, talk to a dentist who can provide Botox injections for the jawline and pair that treatment with other effective treatments, such as a custom-fitted mouthguard.

Reach out to a clinic like Koehn Dentistry & Aesthetics to learn more.


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