What is Bruxism (Teeth Grinding and Clenching)?
Bruxism, known as teeth clenching or grinding, is a disorder that usually occurs during sleep, but can also be seen during the day. It can occur as a result of excessive contraction of the jaw muscles, unconsciously clenching the teeth or grinding them by rubbing. Since it occurs most often at night during sleep, most people are not aware of this condition, but it can cause symptoms such as pain in the jaw area that radiates to the head in the morning, and erosion and sensitivity in the teeth over time.
Reasons
Stress, Anxiety and Emotional Disorders
It is one of the most common causes of bruxism and its frequency has increased in society with the increasing responsibilities of modern urban life. It is also known that depression, anxiety disorders or other psychological problems can trigger bruxism.
Problems Caused by Teeth
Many dental conditions such as improper alignment of teeth, incompatible bite between upper and lower teeth, and missing teeth can cause teeth grinding problems.
Sleep Disorders
Sleep-related disorders such as sleep apnea have often been associated with bruxism. Sleep deprivation or inability to fall asleep deeply can also be among the causes.
Genetic Factors
There are studies that emphasize that the probability of this problem increases in people with a family history of bruxism. It is thought that genetic predisposition may be effective in the development of the habit.
Treatment for Teeth Clenching/Grinding
The first step in the treatment of bruxism is to determine the underlying cause. After this, the appropriate treatment options are selected according to the severity of the patient's teeth grinding/clenching. These treatments may include the selection of appropriate myorelaxants and analgesics, teeth clenching plates or masseter botox (jaw botox).
If the cause of bruxism is tooth loss, tooth alignment or jaw relationship disorders, these conditions must be treated first and the treatment course must be determined accordingly.