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Teeth grinding (i.e., bruxism) has been treated in the City of London Dental Clinic for some time. You may be unaware that you are grinding your teeth as it usually occurs while you are asleep. There are several reasons why you may grind your teeth, including mal-positioned teeth and teeth and/or skeletal discrepancies between your upper and lower teeth. You are usually more aware of your children grinding their teeth due to being awake while your child is sleeping. Teeth grinding in children usually occur due to their primary teeth arrangements (i.e., edge-to-edge) and the development of their secondary teeth. When the adult teeth come into the mouth, this grinding usually subsides. Your City of London dentist will perform a complete examination of your teeth and gums complete with X-rays and study models of your teeth. Then they will recommend the proper course of action for you and/or your child.
Teeth grinding may not be a large problem, however may eventually lead to mouth, jaw, face, neck, and even back pain. Missing and/or misaligned teeth, faulty fillings, crowns/bridges, and removable full or partial dentures, can alter your normal bite and cause you to grind your teeth. Your City of London dentist will examine your mouth and teeth both inside your mouth and using your study models in order to determine if wear and grinding patterns exist. If wear patterns exist, an occlusal equilibration may be performed by your dentist. In addition, your dentist may have an acrylic mouth guard fabricated so that you no longer damage your teeth. These mouth guards can also serve as a diagnostic aid for your dentist. Since the acrylic is softer than teeth enamel, your dentist will be able to detect the wear patterns on the appliance. Your City of London dentist may decide that a specialist in the field can help and you will then be referred to this specialist. Visit your City of London dentist to get the help you need with teeth grinding!