In today’s busy and stressful lifestyle there has been an increased prevalence of Bruxism and TMJ disorders.
Bruxism or more commonly known as clenching is where the teeth are in contact for increased periods of time at increased pressure compared to during normal chewing function. This can be during the day but most people do it during the night when they are asleep. This can lead to headaches, toothache or even fracturing of your teeth.
We strive to identify the risk factors and treat with giving you exercises and in certain cases the construction of an occlusal guard/splint which will help limit the damage to the teeth and help relieve some of the pain associated with Bruxism.
Temporomandibular disorder is a specific disorder of the joint which controls the opening of your mouth. This may be very painful and can limit the movement of the lower jaw and so limit your opening.
This is a very difficult condition to treat and in most cases, we will consider the construction of an occlusal splint/guard to be worn at night while you sleep.
To construct the occlusal splint, we will require an appointment to take impressions of the upper and lower teeth. We then send it off to our dental laboratory who will construct the splint off these models. We will then arrange an insert appointment two weeks later to ensure the fit is optimal and that your occlusion is well balanced.
You may also require the help of an oral surgeon who we will refer you to if necessary.