Wake up to the benefits of bruxism treatment at your London, Ontario dentist’s office

Drs. Ashish Papneja and Marjan Moaveni and the team at Hyde Park Dentistry pride themselves in offering quality care in a setting that exudes warmth. Together they bring considerable training to patients in the Forest City and beyond London, Ontario. Their knowledge transcends the teeth and gums; they appreciate the intricate oral structure that can help or harm our overall health and sense of wellbeing. And intimately understand the relationship between the teeth and other oral structures and the “occlusal” relationship between corresponding upper and lower teeth.

Bruxism, or teeth-grinding, may be rooted in problems with how the teeth fit together. Prompt treatment is a must to protect against damage to the teeth and interconnected muscles and tissues. Additionally, our approach to bruxism depends on what is at the “source” of your toothy troubles.

Getting to the bottom of teeth-grinding 

It is thought that bruxism is linked to stress and anxiety. For this reason, teeth-grinding may be improved or prevented among some patients with relaxation or stress management techniques. In dentistry, imbalances caused by missing teeth, worn-down teeth, misalignment, or broken or old restorations can also lead to this adverse condition. If patients are nocturnal or “sleep” bruxers, they may not even know they clench and grind their teeth until Dr. Papneja or Dr. Moaveni see the telltale signs during routine dental exams: chips, worn enamel, and excessive wear and tear. 

 The force of chronic bruxism can be too much for your teeth to withstand. To guard your teeth and the investment you’ve made in your smile (dental restorations and tooth replacement), they may recommend custom nightguards or oral appliances. These appliances resemble retainers and slide into your mouth. They provide a barrier between your teeth and the excessive pressure placed on them when you bite down during sleep. We may also recommend special splints that prevent your back teeth from touching when you bite down. These splints protect the teeth and avoid the full force generated by grinding behaviours from stressing the tissues and jaw joints. For this reason, these splints can also ease TM Joint (TMJ) symptoms such as chronic headaches and radiating neck, shoulder, and back pain. TMJ disorders are yet another condition that is associated with bruxism.

Contact us at 226-271-2522 to schedule your consultation with Drs. Papneja and Moaveni. They will evaluate you and discuss your concerns to make an informed treatment recommendation.