If you have woken up with sore teeth or a stiff and sore jaw, you may suffer from bruxism. When you suspect bruxism, you need to speak with your oral surgeon.
Your Teeth Don't Like the Pressure
The biggest culprit that comes from clenching your teeth is cracked teeth. These may be teeth that fully break, or this may show up in the form of tiny fractures that you don't even notice right away.
Either way, this damage is often unfixable, and when it gets bad enough, will require you to have your teeth extracted.
When you grind your teeth, you wear the tooth's surface down. This can make chewing and speaking difficult, plus, it can also leave you in a significant amount of pain.
The pain associated with bruxism is often from the exposed nerves that come when there is no enamel on the tooth's surface any longer. It gets worn down when you shift your teeth back and forth.
Your oral surgeon may need to extract teeth that get severely destroyed during bruxism. Otherwise, they can also help you get fitted for a customized mouth guard. These sit on your teeth during the day or night, depending on when you cause the damage to your teeth.
They keep your two jaws apart, protecting your teeth in the process. There may also be options your oral surgeon has in terms of restoring health to your damaged teeth. Find out more by contacting us today!