Jaw Pain and Teeth Grinding
Over the last decade, we have seen a sharp increase in teeth grinding. Clenching and grinding teeth is multifactorial, and the outcome can be devastating, resulting in broken teeth and jaw pain. We believe in assessing the root cause of your specific clenching and/or grinding and offering treatment recommendations that are specific to you. What works for one person may not work for another, and the reason is often because people are grinding their teeth for different reasons.
The most common reasons for teeth grinding are airway and breathing related. Many of our patients that presented with teeth grinding as an initial symptom were later found to have undiagnosed sleep apnea.
Another reason for teeth grinding is stress. Everyone can relate to that! Sometimes simply protecting the teeth with a nightguard while you sleep can prevent cracked teeth and the need for more invasive dental treatment.
The causes and management of TMJ pain are also multifactorial. Acute episodes of TMJ pain can often effectively be treated with a simple Quicksplint to help relax and reset the muscles. Red light laser therapy is another effective therapy that can be used in conjunction with other pain management therapies such as massage, acupuncture, and chiropractic care.