TMD & Bruxism
TMD and Bruxism are two very common disorders that can cause unnecessary pain to patients. Bruxism is the most common and is more well known as clenching or grinding. This can cause your jaw to become sore or can even cause tooth sensitivity or earaches. You may notice that your teeth become flattened or worn down. They may chip or become loose. You can even do damage to your bone around your teeth or your jaw joint. This can lead to, but is not the sole cause of Temporomandibular Disorder or TMD. TMD is a cycle of pain, muscle spasms and joint imbalance where the jaw meets the skull. Some symptoms may be headaches, earaches, difficulty opening and closing your mouth or a clicking or popping when doing so and sore jaw muscles.
To help our patients combat Bruxism and to help with the effects of both, we may recommend a custom-made night guard or if the situation is severe, we may refer to a specialist.