What You Need to Know About Clenching Your Teeth in 4 Questions

Why does clenching occur?

Clenching of the teeth (bruxism) is a symptomatic disorder due to psychological causes. Bruxism produces various symptoms in the patient’s TMJ and muscles. The clicking sound from pain and TMJ is the most common of these.

 Since teeth grinding is an unconscious action, it is done more during sleep and most of the patients are not aware of it. The discomfort, which starts as mild pain in the early period, may turn into a situation where you cannot open your mouth after a certain period of time if no precautions are taken

 Is there any treatment for teeth grinding? How is it done?

 The treatment of clenching and grinding is a psychological treatment and is done by psychiatrists. The dentist’s role here is to relieve symptoms (pain click) and prevent the discomfort from getting worse. In such cases, the dentist relieves the symptoms with an occlusal splint, various exercises (physical therapy), and medication. However, symptoms may recur if psychological treatment is not sought.

 Is clenching teeth harmful?

Clenching of teeth can cause abrasions in the teeth, irregularities in the jaw joint and limitation of movement in the facial muscles. In such cases, patients should first consult their dentist and prevent the discomfort from getting worse by eliminating the symptoms.

Which doctor should be consulted for clenching teeth?

The dentist’s treatment takes about 6 months. During this time, the patient may receive psychotherapy (psychiatrist) and physical therapy (physiotherapist). However, we recommend that the patient who feels that he is clenching his teeth should be examined by a dentist.

 Bagcilar Hospitadent Chief Physician Dt. OGUZ KARA