Bruxism know, why it occurs and how to address it
Written by:Bruxism or teeth grinding is usually involuntary parafunctional movement, which strongly clench. The most common is the one that occurs overnight and is often associated with stress. The consequences: pressure on the teeth, fractures, loosening and loss of tooth enamel, plus dental wear and headache.
What is bruxism and why it occurs
Bruxism, known as "grinding" teeth, is the involuntary movement of clenching. It is a parafunctional movement as severe tooth contact, other than chewing and swallowing.
People who have bruxism strongly clench with or without displacement, often unconsciously producing wear or cracking the teeth. It is multifactorial in origin although its main trigger is at the psychological level and the repercussions affect the field of dentistry .
Times when bruxism is accentuated
Bruxism can occur during the day or evening. The most common is sleep-related. It should be noted that bruxism can be chronic or may occur with periods of exacerbation according to the patient's circumstances such as periods of stressful work, or students at exam time.Much is accentuated at night when unconscious and be mainly associated with stress and sleep disturbances. Usually, the patient with nocturnal bruxism is not aware of the problem and are often the bedfellows or room that alert the patient alarmed by the noise dental and dentists, who will observe the destruction of enamel and dentin.
Groups that often suffer from bruxism
Due to the pace of life we have in our modern society, bruxism is a problem that affects more and more people, both sexes equally and all ages. However, it is observed that the most common age of onset is between 17 and 20 years. Spontaneous remission usually occurs after 40 years of age, in cases of chronic bruxism, but may disappear by itself at any time.
Consequences of bruxism denture
This parafunction produces a large pressure and force on the teeth, causing fractures, loosening and loss of tooth enamel. It can also cause teeth more sensitive to food and liquids cold or hot again. When bruxism diagnosed early can be treated before it causes permanent damage to the teeth. Besides the wear of the teeth, can also cause headaches and level of the jaw muscles, neck and ear.
Treatment of bruxism and results
Bruxism treatment requires a correct diagnosis of the causes of this condition which, in many cases, can be reduced or eliminated.With proper dental exam, your dentist will determine the potential of bruxism and according to tooth damage and its likely cause, you can indicate the use of a dental splint while sleeping, prepared by your dentist with exact fit in your mouth. This is placed on one of the dental arches acting as protector, but it is not the total solution to the problem. You must find ways to relax, because stress seems to be the main cause of bruxism; anything that effectively reduce stress can help: listening to music, reading, walking or taking a bath, for example.You can also remove the high points of the teeth to adjust the bite. In addition, an uneven bite where the teeth are not articulated, can also be corrected with new fillings, crowns or orthodontics.
Edited by Patricia Crespo Pujante
