Bruxism, a little known term, is a functional disorder consisting of clenching (centric bruxism) or grinding (eccentric bruxism) of the teeth. This involuntary habit that results in hyperactivity of the masticatory musculature is most often associated with sleep, although it can exist during the day.
Causes of bruxism
Although its cause is unknown, it is considered that the main trigger of bruxism is stress: work pressure, family environment, etc.
Other factors that may contribute to its occurrence are:
- Improper alignment of the teeth
- Postural alterations
- Sleep disorders
Symptoms of bruxism
There are many symptoms associated with bruxism, although the most common are:
- Worn, cracked, or fractured teeth
- Neck muscle fatigue
- Temporomandibular joint TMJ pain and noise
- Early TMJ arthrosis
- Pain radiating to the face and neck
- Cervical pain
- Sleep problems, tension headache
- Anxiety
Treatment for bruxism
There are few treatments to treat this problem and the existing ones usually have limited results.
At DMO Clinique we treat bruxism with manual techniques in order to restore the balance between the jaw, neck and skull.
With gentle and precise techniques, we will free the upper cervicals, improve the articular congruence of the TMJ and restore the balance between the supra and infra mandibular musculature.
We will also employ relaxation techniques aimed at attenuating stress levels.
At DMO Clinique, before starting any treatment, we will perform a global study to determine where the dysfunctions responsible for the pain are located.
In our opinion, it would be important in order to obtain the best results to take into account the notion of multidisciplinarity, that is, to work in collaboration with dentists for occlusion problems, speech therapists for the correct positioning of the tongue and psychologists for the emotional part. Tips for people with bruxism * Avoid eating chewing gum, have a good dental hygiene, self-massage of the chewing muscles. * The use of a splint (if indicated by your dentist) will allow you to limit contact and prevent tooth wear but does not treat the root cause of bruxism.