Bruxism (BRUK-siz-um) is a condition in which you grind, gnash or clench your teeth. If you have bruxism, you may unconsciously clench your teeth when you’re awake (awake bruxism) or clench or grind them during sleep (sleep bruxism) – Dental Bruxism Treatment.

Sleep bruxism is considered a sleep-related movement disorder. People who clench or grind their teeth (brux) during sleep are more likely to have other sleep disorders, such as snoring and pauses in breathing (sleep apnea).

Mild bruxism may not require treatment. However, in some people, bruxism can be frequent and severe enough to lead to jaw disorders, headaches, damaged teeth and other problems.

Because you may have sleep bruxism and be unaware of it until complications develop, it’s important to know the signs and symptoms of bruxism and to seek regular dental care.

Why Do People Grind Their Teeth?

Although teeth grinding can be caused by stress and anxiety, it often occurs during sleep and is more likely caused by an abnormal bite or missing or crooked teeth. It can also be caused by a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea.

Effects of Sleep Bruxism Treatment 

Grinding can wear down the teeth, which can become short, blunt, or fractured. Clenching puts pressure on the muscles, tissues, and other structures around the jaw.

It can lead to:

• jaw pain and stiffness
• sore gums
• sensitive, loose or broken teeth
• clicking or popping of jaw joints
• a dull headache
• Earache can occur, partly because the structures of the temporomandibular joint are close to the ear canal. There may also be referral pain, in which a person feels pain in a different location to its source.

Other key symptoms include anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and insomnia. If the noise bothers a sleeping partner, relationship problems may develop.

Excessive bruxism can damage the occlusal surfaces of the teeth, particularly the molars. It may contribute to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome.

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