Bruxism, or clenching and grinding the teeth, affects many people at some point during their lives. In some cases, it may come and go, while others may suffer from chronic teeth grinding. This can lead to damaged teeth, gum recession and jaw disorders such as TMD.
Because this is an unconscious habit—most people tend to grind their teeth during the night while they are sleeping—it can be a difficult one to break. Often they are unaware they are doing it unless their sleep partner tells them or their dentist notices teeth that are unduly worn.
Bruxism, TMJ and TMD can negatively impact your quality of life—especially if you are experiencing chronic pain as a result. It’s crucial to seek treatment if you suspect you have any of these conditions because you may also be damaging your teeth. Our Pascoe Vale, VIC dental clinic diagnosis and treats many patients with this disorder, and we would love to help you as well.
We welcome your call, and we always have room in our schedule for new patients. We invite you to read below to find some of your more common questions answered about bruxism, TMJ and TMD.
Dr Amir Kiaee evaluates patients for signs of teeth grinding as part of the comprehensive dentistry we provide at Lumino Smiles, your Pascoe Vale, VIC dental clinic.
Some common signs of bruxism include:
Bruxism can affect both adults and children, and it is often attributed to stress or anxiety. Other causes can include taking certain antidepressants, smoking, alcohol or caffeine consumption, sleep disorders and some neurological conditions. Some believe that it might also be an inherited tendency.
If Dr Amir identifies signs of a bruxism habit in our Glenroy, VIC patient, he will discuss options to resolve the problem and prevent damage to your teeth and jaw due to the excessive forces of clenching and grinding. This may include the use of a night guard, which is often the first step in lessening the effects of night-time teeth grinding.
Patients we see who suffer from a bruxism habit at our Pascoe Vale, VIC dental clinic may decide to partake in a sleep study to identify the possible presence of sleep apnoea, as the two conditions are often related.
Effective sleep apnoea treatment often alleviates bruxism and may be the first line of treatment recommended by our Glenroy, VIC dentist, as it is a serious and life-threatening condition.
Sometimes relaxation techniques can help people stop grinding their teeth. Others find that an oral appliance can provide relief and help protect the teeth from experiencing further damage.
To protect teeth and inhibit the damage caused by a bruxism habit, a customised night guard may be part of the treatment we recommend at our Glenroy, VIC dental surgery. Custom night guards, used in treating bruxism, fit over the upper or lower teeth to create a barrier between teeth.
If malocclusion—a bad bite in which the upper and lower teeth do not come together properly—is believed to be the culprit, orthodontic treatment might be recommended.
Many people are under the impression that TMD and TMJ mean the same thing. In reality, the TMJ refers to the joint that connects the lower and upper jaws: the temporomandibular joint. You can feel the joints moving yourself if you place your fingers just in front of your ears and open and close your mouth. It may be a small joint, but it can cause people big pain.
TMD refers to the disorders of the TMJ and stands for temporomandibular joint disorder. It doesn’t refer to just one thing, but rather it references a number of different painful disorders that result from a sore or inflamed TMJ.
If you are unsure or have questions, we invite you to contact Dr Amir at our Pascoe Vale, VIC dental clinic, and he can help you understand TMJ and TMD and how they might be affecting everyday pain.
Like any joint in the body that aches with overuse, the TMJ is susceptible to the same. Because we are using the TMJ all day, every day—speaking, yawning, chewing, laughing and so on—it rarely gets a break. Once it becomes inflamed, it causes pain that gets little relief from being in a resting state because it so rarely rests.
Your TMJ (temporomandibular joint) is the joint that hinges your upper and lower jaw. It controls chewing and speaking function.
With a long-term bruxism habit, the TMJ can become painful and slowly degenerate. A customised occlusal guard not only protects the teeth from a grinding habit, but also guides the jaw into an ideal orthopaedic position.
Some people, who might be experiencing problems with the TMJ because of a crooked jaw, may benefit from getting orthodontic treatment to better align the jaw. After needed orthodontic treatment at our Pascoe Vale, VIC dental clinic, the elimination of TMJ issues could be one added value side effect.
Jaw pain in our Glenroy, VIC dental patients can develop rapidly or slowly progress over time. In addition to painful jaws and surrounding muscles, the following symptoms can also indicate a jaw disorder:
In addition to a visual examination, both X-rays and 3-D imaging can contribute to an accurate diagnosis of jaw disorders. Dr Amir will recommend both diagnostics and treatment options on an individual basis with the singular goal of preventing damage and promoting improved oral health.
We encourage you to contact Lumino Smiles in Pascoe Vale, VIC to schedule a booking to discuss a suspected bruxism habit or issues with the TMJ.
If you suspect you grind your teeth during sleep or you have experienced jaw pain, we welcome you to contact our Pascoe Vale,VIC dental clinic to book an evaluation with Dr Amir. His experience, education and conscientious approach to dentistry will help you find solutions so you can enjoy greater comfort and a healthy smile. We offer both a convenient location and operation hours to make it as easy as possible for our Pascoe Vale, Hadfield and Glenroy, VIC area patients to get treatment.
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TMD is a disorder of the temporomandibular joints. These joints join your lower jaw to your face and allow you to open and close your mouth. When these joints are not functioning as they should, you may have difficulty yawning, chewing and speaking. TMJ disorders can be very painful.
Bruxism defines nocturnal teeth grinding. This habit may result from anxiety, but without treatment, it can cause head and shoulder pain, dental health issues and even TMD.
Treatments for TMJs can range from surgery to oral appliance maintenance. Your dentist will evaluate your case to see if an oral appliance (nightguard) will relieve your symptoms. Likewise, we can use appliance therapy to relax the TMJs, promoting healing.
Therapy aims to restore life quality. We want you to enjoy your time and not suffer needlessly from TMJ and bruxism pain. Additionally, we want to ensure that bruxism does not lead to tooth fractures and loss.
We welcome your call if you want to learn more about our treatments and services or have questions for our dental team. Also, we urge you to reach out if you suspect TMJ and bruxism. We can book your evaluation with the dentist today!
TMD (temporomandibular joint disorders) may be present from birth, an anatomical issue that presents symptoms later. It can also result from an injury to the jaw joints—the TMJs connect your jaw to your skull. In these cases, it's not possible to prevent TMD. However, if TMD results from bruxism (teeth grinding), your dentist may be able to help!
As for bruxism, it may be due to stress, malocclusion, or night terrors. You can help prevent TMJ and worsening of your bruxism symptoms by seeking advice from your doctor.
Depending on your case's complexity, TMJ may benefit from appliance therapy. Appliance therapy (or a nightguard) prevents teeth grinding, which can help heal your TMJs. Your dentist will evaluate your case to determine whether a nightguard will work for you.
Other treatments for TMJ may include specific mouth exercises and oral surgery.
Of course, the first step is a comprehensive consultation with your Pascoe Vale dentist.
We want to help you enjoy a pain-free life and not worry about the dental complications associated with untreated bruxism. To learn more or to book a consultation with the dentist, we urge you to contact a member of our friendly dental team to get started.
Untreated TMJ and bruxism can impact life quality and interfere with your day-to-day life enjoyment. Let’s explore what these conditions are and how your Pascoe Vale dentist may be able to help.
TMJ is short for temporomandibular joint. These are the joints that allow for lower jaw movement. When the TMJs are not functioning correctly, you may notice some or all of the following symptoms:
Bruxism means teeth grinding, especially during sleep. Symptoms of bruxism include some or all of the following:
In many cases, your dentist can fabricate a nightguard to help alleviate the symptoms associated with TMJ and bruxism. This oral appliance allows the TMJs to relax and heal. Additionally, you’ll be unable to grind your teeth while wearing your nightguard.
Your dentist may also recommend you for additional treatments, including surgery for TMJ complications.
The first step is an evaluation in our dental clinic.
We encourage you to contact our dental team today to learn more or book your consultation with the dentist.
TMJ may result from an injury, be present at birth, or it can be a complication of bruxism (teeth grinding). TMJ means the hinge-like joints that allow you to chew, speak, yawn, and open your mouth are not functioning correctly.
Bruxism may result from night terrors, or anxiety, or the cause may not be immediately apparent.
Besides injury and anatomical defects, TMJ and bruxism may be linked to sleep apnoea. Sleep apnea means you stop breathing several times during the night. This condition can lead to severe health complications, including high blood pressure and sudden stroke.
Your dentist can work with you and even refer you for a sleep study if sleep apnea is suspected. It may be that you need only an oral appliance to combat bruxism and TMJ. Your dentist can customize a nightguard to prevent bruxism and rest your TMJ joints.
We recommend booking an evaluation with the dentist to learn whether appliance therapy suits you.
To learn more about our treatments and services or to book a comprehensive evaluation with the dentist, we urge you to contact a member of our friendly dental team today.
TMJs (or the temporomandibular joints) connect your lower jaw to your lower skull. They are in front of the ears. The diagnosis is called TMJ or TMD when these joints are not functioning correctly.
Bruxism means you grind and clench your teeth at night, which can lead to TMJ and a whole host of complications like pain, exaggerated musculature in the lower face (boxy jaw), and head, neck and shoulder pain.
Without treatment, TMJ or bruxism can disrupt life quality, making it difficult to chew and yawn. Additionally, bruxism can damage your teeth, leading to tooth loss, fractures and other complications.
Fortunately, your Pascoe Vale dentist offers treatment options.
Treating TMJ and bruxism may be as simple as wearing a nightguard. Sometimes, your dentist can fashion a custom nightguard to prevent grinding and clenching. The nightguard fits over the teeth to prevent grinding and clenching. It also rests on the TMJs to promote healing.
Your dentist will evaluate your case to see whether appliance therapy is the right treatment option for you.
If you would like to book a consultation with the dentist or have questions for our team, we encourage you to call us today.
Originally from Iran, Dr Amir attended both High School and University in Australia. He completed High School in Melbourne and attended the University of Adelaide for his Bachelor of ...
Neck and shoulder pain, frequent headaches or migraines, tenderness when biting or chewing, and excessive tooth wear are just a few of the debilitating symptoms you may be experiencing if you suffer from temporomandibular disorder (TMD) or chronic teeth clenching and grinding (bruxism).
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Temporomandibular joint dysfunction—commonly called TMJ or TMD—is a condition that means there is an issue with the joint that connects your jaw to your skull. This joint helps you speak and chew. When something is not right, the condition can interfere with these life functions and cause you pain.
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