Teeth

Teeth grinding (also called bruxism) is the unconscious chewing and clenching of the teeth that can occur mostly at night, but also during the day.

The problem with this is that the massive rubbing of the enamel, which is supposed to protect the tooth, is gradually abraded. As a result, cracks form, the gums can become inflamed and, in extreme cases, a tooth can even break.

The constant pressing can also lead to pain in the temporomandibular joint due to hardened muscles, as well as headache or neck pain.

Risk factors are primarily stress and anxiety in professional and private life. Likewise, crooked teeth, diseases of the jaw or a poorly fitting prosthesis can be causes.

In children, temporary teeth grinding can be considered normal and sometimes useful. Here it is used to grind in the milk teeth. As an adult, however, you should contact your dentist, as the crunching damages the enamel and can thus have a lasting effect on dental health.

To protect your teeth, we may offer you a bite splint (also known as a crunching splint or bite splint). This is made of plastic and envelops the lower and upper row of teeth. It is either industrially prefabricated or individually adapted from the impression of the rows of teeth. The bite splint does not prevent the crunching movements itself, but since it sits between the chewing surfaces, it prevents further grinding of the enamel. The nocturnal crunching noise has also come to an end.

further information on bruxism