A Breakdown

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re experiencing issues that may call for a mouthguard or night guard. The main reasons why someone may need a mouthguard or a night guard are from grinding or clenching your teeth. Paramount Dental Sydney has simple solutions for this to keep you sleeping soundly without further damaging your teeth.

The official name for grinding or clenching your teeth is bruxism. Bruxism is more common during the night while you sleep and you may not even know that you’re doing it but there are a few signs that it happens, such as:

Waking up with headaches every morning
This is often due to your jaws consuming constant pressure whilst grinding and/or clenching.
Constant jaw pain
When you grind or clench your teeth you put your facial muscles and jaw through a lot of stress which also creates stiffness. This can even create discomfort when chewing food where you may hear clicking sounds. If this isn’t treated it can even affect speech.

Excessive clenching or grinding can contribute to TMJ disorder and wearing a mouthguard can drastically reduce the risk of developing more severe issues.

What is TMJ Disorder?

TMJ stands for the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) which acts like a sliding hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull. You have one joint on each side of your jaw. TMJ disorders can cause pain in your jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement.

The exact cause of a person's TMJ disorder is often difficult to determine but can be due to a combination of genetics, arthritis or jaw injury. Some people who have jaw pain also tend to clench or grind their teeth (bruxism), although many people who clench or grind their teeth never develop TMJ disorders.

In many cases, the pain and discomfort associated with TMJ disorders is temporary and can be relieved with self-managed care or nonsurgical treatments. Surgery is typically a last resort after conservative measures have failed, but some people with TMJ disorders may benefit from surgical treatments.

What if I don't treat my bruxism or fail to wear a mouthguard?

Your teeth can only handle so much constant clenching or grinding before they will begin to show the effects of wear and tear. This wear and tear can lead to: