Damage from teeth grinding is progressive, leaving them increasingly vulnerable to oral health complications. Let us fit you with a custom mouth guard to protect your enamel.

Many people don’t realize they grind their teeth because it usually occurs during sleep. Sleep bruxism is common, but teeth grinding and clenching aren’t exclusively nighttime activities. No matter when you clench the most, grinding your teeth can cause significant damage to the enamel. You can also experience headaches and jaw pain. Unfortunately, you may not be aware of the grinding until the complications arise.  

In Livermore, California, Las Positas Family Dental provides services to protect your teeth from the damage caused by grinding, along with restorative services, like same-day crowns to repair and reinforce worn-down or broken teeth. Dentists Thi Hoang, DDS, and Theresa Hoang, DDS, can detect tooth wear due to bruxism during your exams and offer preventive treatments.  

Detecting bruxism

It can be challenging to detect bruxism until you experience complications. While dentists can typically see worn-down enamel during an exam, you should report other signs, symptoms, and complications from teeth grinding to our team immediately.  

Your bruxism might cause:

• Pain in your face or jaw
• Earache
• Headache
• Tissue damage from chewing your inner cheek
• Flat-looking molars
• Tooth chips or fractures
• Jaw locking
• Frequent sleep disturbances

Some people grind their teeth so loudly that people around them can hear it. Whether you’ve noticed signs of teeth grinding in yourself, your partner, or your child, it’s time to schedule a dental visit to address the issue before the damage progresses.  

How we can protect your teeth

Stress reduction techniques, improved sleep hygiene, and reduced caffeine are behavioral changes that may alleviate bruxism. Some people simply outgrow it or stop doing it when their circumstances change. However, our team can also intervene with protective custom mouth guards that take pressure off your jaw and block your teeth from grinding.  

A custom mouth guard from Las Positas Family Dental fits your mouth perfectly thanks to intraoral scanning, which captures 3D images of your teeth and jaw. Manufacturing your mouth guard takes just two weeks, and you can start wearing it immediately to alleviate nighttime bruxism. Day-time bruxism requires a conscious effort to stop but aids like anti-anxiety medications or muscle relaxants can assist if needed.  

Treating your complications

Our team specializes in restorative dentistry to repair or replace teeth that are broken or worn down due to teeth grinding. We can also provide treatments for temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD), which cause issues like jaw pain and locking. This condition affects around 11-12 million adults in the United States, many of whom also experience teeth grinding. 

Call our office or book an appointment online for yourself or a loved one anytime.