Bruxism is the involuntary habit of clenching or grinding the teeth. This behavior leads to an exaggerated wear of the dental pieces, both in the cervical area (close to the gum) and in the incisal edges (anterior sector) and occlusal faces (molars and premolars).
This pathology reduces the vertical dimension of the lower third of the face, that is to say, we lose height due to the smaller dental size; this makes subsequent restorations more complex since we have to replace the adequate proportions.
This parafunction is usually accompanied by headaches and muscular pain that affect both the jaws and the cervical area; there are also alterations in the temporomandibular joints due to the imbalance and overloading with the consequent discomfort in the ears.
Treatment of bruxism
Dentists are usually the first to detect this habit, as wear facets (traces on the incisal and occlusal surfaces) are observed during check-ups. Patients are usually not aware of this parafunction until they are alerted to it.
The most common and simplest treatment is the fitting of a rigid splint, which must be perfectly adapted so that the occlusal rests are stable and shared. The splint not only avoids dental wear due to the interposition of an element between the two arches, it also helps to relax the muscular tension due to the lesser contraction to which they are subjected and the headaches disappear if the origin was in this habit.
Can bruxism lead to more serious pathologies?
Bruxism is not a dangerous disorder in itself but it causes irreversible lesions to the teeth; it causes headaches, joint, muscle and ear pain and complicates subsequent restorative treatments since the vertical dimension is diminished and must be recovered.