The Whys and Wherefores of Tooth Grinding
One of the biggest issues facing any patient opting for dental implants in Richmond is continued tooth grinding. Otherwise known as bruxism this problem is more common than you think. Although bruxism can occur at any time of the day, the majority of people suffer with it at night, generally when they’re fast asleep. For this reason most people don’t even know they’re doing it.
So why is it so damaging?
Our teeth are designed to withstand a normal bite force of around 200lbs per square inch (give or take a few) but when people grind or clench their teeth the pressure exerted is often 2-3 times that amount. That’s 400-600lbs! Clearly our teeth aren’t created to sustain that type of pressure and as a result, fractured, chipped, or badly worn teeth are common place. Now, just imagine a newly placed dental implant. Although they’re designed to be strong, the titanium implant (just like a natural tooth) isn’t designed to take such bite force and as a result continual teeth grinding or clenching will only ever end in one result. A damaged or failed implant!
So how do we know if we suffer from tooth grinding?
There are certain symptoms which could be an indication that teeth grinding is occurring and these include
- Migraines or stress headaches
- Jaw joint pain
- Neck ache
- Worn down teeth (particularly the eye teeth)
A quick word about worn down teeth….
You might think that worn down teeth can also be caused by eating. However it’s worth pointing out that there are no foods that we eat that are as hard as tooth enamel. The only substance that can wear down tooth enamel, is tooth enamel from another tooth! A dental check-up by an experienced dentist will normally confirm (along with some of the above symptoms) that you are indeed a bruxism sufferer.
So what causes it?
That’s the million dollar question and that answer is that nobody really knows. What is understood is that bruxism can be exacerbated by a number of factors. These include stress, anxiety, anger, hyperactive personality types, abnormal teeth alignments (malocclusions), sleep problems such as sleep apnoea, or even complications from disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. However there are many other issues which can bring about bruxism in both children and adults alike.
Can it be treated?
In essence yes. Behavioural and stress management techniques promoting relaxation provide a natural approach to combating bruxism. In some cases but not all, patients may be better suited to medication such as muscle relaxers. Finally dental approaches such as mouth guards or dental correction techniques also help to rid a person of their bruxism problems.
If you’re considering undergoing dental implants in Richmond but are concerned about tooth grinding. Then come and talk to Sheen Dental. We’ve been successfully placing dental implants in Richmond patients for many years and as such we’ve developed a network of professionals that we can refer people to should they have problems such as bruxism. To make a free, no-obligation booking contact us either by phone on 020 8876 5277 or via our website at www.sheendentalimplants.co.uk