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Thomas Family Dentistry > Services > Teeth Grinding & Night Guards

Jaw pain is often caused by inflammation or grinding. A mouth guard can often help reduce pain.

Teeth Grinding in Hermitage, PA

Teeth Grinding Treatment | Hermitage, PA | Thomas Family Dentistry Do you find yourself grinding your teeth occasionally? Fortunately, we offer custom night guards in Hermitage, PA.

It’s very common, and almost everyone does so from time to time. In most cases, stress and tension are the cause. But for some people, teeth grinding and clenching is a chronic problem.

As time goes by, excess stress on the jaw can lead to symptoms of head and neck pain, as well as the abnormal wearing of the teeth.

Our Customized Night Guards in Hermitage, PA Provide Rapid Relief

Teeth grinding most often occurs during sleep, so you may not even be aware that it’s happening. However, if you wake up with chronic headaches or unexplained shoulder pain, you may be grinding your teeth. These symptoms can become so severe that they actually impact your quality of life.

Over the years, we have helped many patients overcome the painful symptoms of teeth grinding. We create a custom-made device referred to as a night guard (or occlusal splint) that offers quick relief from the painful symptoms of grinding.

The appliance is designed to prevent your upper and lower jaw from coming into contact with each other. This makes teeth grinding virtually impossible, eliminating chronic discomfort and restoring normal movement to your jaw.

Reasons for Teeth Grinding

Teeth grinding can be the result of muscle tension or a dysfunction of your temporomandibular joint, the joint that allows your upper and lower jaw to move and come together.

Some people experience grinding and clenching because of a misaligned, or unbalanced, dental bite. A dental bite that’s out of alignment places excess force on one side of your mouth. This causes you to grind your teeth, creating constant, unnatural force on the jaw joint and resulting in head and neck pain.

The Problem with Teeth Grinding

These painful symptoms are bad enough, but the constant force placed on your teeth can also lead to other serious dental problems, including:

Excessive, uneven wear on teeth
Fractured or chipped teeth
Loose teeth
TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorder)

Addressing teeth grinding with a night guard in Hermitage, PA is an easy and affordable way to prevent these problems from occurring.

Personalized Patient Care

Before deciding if a night guard is right for you, our doctors will sit down and talk to you to discuss your symptoms. After this, we’ll do a thorough examination of your teeth to identify the possible reasons for your teeth grinding.

All our patients receive personalized care, and we will take all the steps necessary to uncover the reason for your discomfort. We will then work with you to find the solution that relieves the painful symptoms of teeth grinding while protecting your oral health.

In some cases a night guard is not the best solution. If so, we’ll be happy to refer you to a specialist for further evaluation.

There really is no reason for you to spend another day living with the symptoms of teeth grinding. If you suspect that your headaches or neck pain are related to grinding, please give us a call so we can arrange a convenient consultation with one of our doctors.

HOME TREATMENT FOR TMJ DISORDER

Often jaw problems resolve on their own in several weeks to months. If you have recently experienced TMJ pain and/or dysfunction, you may find relief with some or all of the following therapies...

• Moist Heat. Moist heat from a heat pack or a hot water bottle wrapped in a warm, moist towel can improve function and reduce pain. Be careful to avoid burning yourself when using heat.

• Ice. Ice packs can decrease inflammation and also numb pain and promote healing. Do not place an ice pack directly on your skin. Keep the pack wrapped in a clean cloth while you are using it. Do not use an ice pack for more than 10 - 15 minutes.

• Soft Diet. Soft or blended foods allow the jaw to rest temporarily. Remember to avoid hard, crunchy, and chewy foods. Do not stretch your mouth to accommodate such foods as corn on the cob, apples, or whole fruits.

• Over the-Counter Analgesics. For many people with TMJ Disorders, short-term use of over-the-counter pain medicines or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as ibuprofen, may provide temporary relief from jaw discomfort. When necessary, your dentist or doctor can prescribe stronger pain or anti-inflammatory medications, muscle relaxants, or antidepressants to help ease symptoms.

• Jaw Exercises. Slow, gentle jaw exercises may help increase jaw mobility and healing. Your health care provider or a physical therapist can evaluate your condition and suggest appropriate exercises based on your individual needs.

• Relaxation Techniques. Relaxation and guided imagery can be helpful in dealing with the pain that accompanies TMJ dysfunction. Deep, slow breathing enhances relaxation and modulates pain sensations. Some have found yoga, massage, and meditation helpful in reducing stress and aiding relaxation.

• Side Sleeping. Sleep on your side using pillow support between shoulder and neck.

• Relax Facial Muscles. Make a concerted effort to relax your lips, and keep teeth apart.

• Yawning. Use your fist to support your chin as you yawn to prevent damage to the joint and prevent your jaw from locking open.

In addition, avoid:

• Jaw clenching.

• Gum chewing.

• Cradling the telephone, which may irritate jaw and neck muscles.

Be sure to discuss your jaw limitations with your doctor prior to surgery or a long dental appointment so he/she uses extreme caution. Anesthesia, often used during dental procedures, can affect mouth opening and damage the joint. If possible, avoid long dental appointments requiring an open mouth for more than 30 minutes.

Remember, if your TMJ problems get worse with time, you should seek professional advice. However, first and foremost, educate yourself. Informed patients are better able to talk with health care providers, ask questions, and make knowledgeable decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

OTC Pain Relief Cocktail

If you're currently experiencing dental pain and have a waiting period until your next appointment, try this over the counter combination for relief- this cocktail has taken the place of opiods with great success and we're confident it will for you, too!

Alternate Every 3 Hours:

500-1,000mg Acetaminophen (extra strength Tylenol)

400mg Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin)

***Do not exceed limit of 6 Acetaminophen in 24 hours (3,000mg max)***

Researchers say this combination cocktail works better than prescribed opioids and are less likely to cause side effects. At Thomas Family Dentistry, we believe prescribed pain killers should be a last resort, and now with this OTC combination, we can reduce the frequency of opioid prescriptions without leaving our patients in pain!

Give this OTC cocktail combo a try, and we are confident that it will relieve your dental pain.

Daily Max limit for ibuprofen- 3,200 mg per day

Daily max limit for acetaminophen- 3,000 mg per day

Why does my jaw ache?

Many patients suffer from Temperomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder. This can be defined as inflammation of the TMJ.

Common symptoms of TMJ Disorder:

Waking up with headaches
Waking up with an achey jaw
Tooth wear
Jaw tightness
Swelling in the jaw

These symptoms are most commonly caused from clenching or grinding of the teeth, which many patients do subconsciously at night time or some throughout the day!

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, ask about an occlusal guard (night guard). This is an appliance that looks very similar to a retainer that you wear over night to give the TMJ relief. The guard separates the top teeth from the bottom so that the appliance takes the stress of clenching/grinding rather than the joint, reducing the inflammation.

Making a night guard is quick and simple. Come in for quick impressions, and we will make the night guard right here in our own office! At Thomas Family Dentistry, we can make your very own custom made occlusal night guard for $150.

OUR TEAM

Photo of Deanna Thomas DMD, Thomas Family Dentistry, Hermitage, PA

Deanna Thomas, DMD, FAGD

Dr. Deanna Thomas is the proud owner and dentist of our practice, which she founded in 2003. With a commitment to providing exceptional dental care, Dr. Thomas has built a ...