Do you clench or grind your teeth? Do you ever wake up in the morning with a sore jaw, headaches or "tight" feeling teeth?
Bruxism or clenching/grinding can be very destructive to not only your teeth but also to the supporting structures and your jaw joint (temporomandibular joint). The cause of bruxism appears to be multifactorial. One of the ways we can treat bruxism and help alleviate your symptoms is to make you an occlusal splint designed specifically for your mouth. An occlusal splint is a precise acrylic appliance that is typically fabricated to fit the top teeth and serves to protect the teeth and jaw joint from further damage during bruxism. Furthermore occlusal splint therapy aims to "break the habit" of clenching and grinding by muscular reprogramming. Untreated bruxism can lead to excessive chipping and wear of your teeth and long term problems with your jaw joint.
