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Know Your Teeth Academy of General Dentistry Know Your Teeth

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What is Bruxism?

 
Chapter: What Can be Done?

Your general dentist automatically checks for physical signs of bruxism and if it seems to be present the condition may be observed over several visits before recommending and starting therapy.

 

The objective of therapy is to get the bruxer to change behavior by learning how to rest the tongue, teeth and lips properly. When some people become aware of their problem, simply advising them to rest their tongue upward with teeth apart and lips shut may be enough to change their behavior and relieve discomfort. However, the dentist can make a plastic mouth appliance, such as a night guard, that's worn to absorb the force of biting. This appliance can prevent future damage to the teeth and helps change the patient's destructive behavior.

 

If teeth grinding is due to stress, a bruxer may be able to prevent the problem with counseling or strategies that promote relaxation, such as exercise and meditation. Biofeedback is used to treat daytime clenchers by using an electronic device to measure muscle activity and to teach patients how to reduce muscle activity when the biting force becomes too great.
 
Reviewed: January 2012