Depending on the severity of your teeth grinding, you will have several options when it comes to dealing with it. If your bruxism is severe enough, surgery may be your best option. If you have been to a dentist and they have suggested surgery, it is wise to listen to them. Of course, you can get a second opinion, but once surgery is mentioned, it needs to be taken seriously.
As fore mentioned, teeth grinding can be the result of abnormal dental structure, and if that is the case, surgery is often needed. The technical term for this problem is occlusion. This is simply where your bottom teeth and lower teeth are misaligned. This misalignment alone can lead to many other problems if left alone. Bruxism does not always need to be severe for a dentist to suggest surgery, but this is usually the case.
For prevention and not so serious cases of teeth grinding, mouth guards are a great option. When you are prescribed mouth guards, you will usually be prescribed a diet change as well, which is to help you relieve some of your stress. Unfortunately, mouth guards can only be used in a temporary fashion. You will eventually wear down mouth guards as you use them night after night. Even though they are only temporary, mouth guards will save your teeth and gums from damage. These are the two main dental solutions to teeth grinding.
The other solutions for teeth grinding involve various exercises and massages. Ideally, you will have to use both dental and non-dental solutions to completely cure bruxism, even if the case is not severe. If your bruxism is caused solely by stress, you may want to invest in some mouth guards, but surgery should not be needed. However, if your bruxism is caused by a misalignment in your jaw, you will more than likely need to have surgery.
Cosmetic dentistry treatments such as
teeth whitening and placement of
porcelain veneers can improve your smile's appearance.
