At certain points in your life, you may have a difficult time controlling your stress levels. This is a common concern, but it is one that people can manage in different ways. One thing you should watch out for is your physical responses to stress. Some people will develop a tendency to grind their teeth because of their negative feelings, with a habit of grinding that affects them more during the night while they rest. If this is not addressed, it can lead to alarming damage to your tooth enamel! Our Seattle, WA dentist’s office is ready to take care of your teeth grinding troubles by offering oral appliance therapy for bruxism. We can also make plans to address the physical effects of grinding that may have hurt your smile.
How Much Harm Can You Really Cause When You Grind Your Teeth?
If you grind your teeth for an extended period of time, the damage to your enamel can become difficult to ignore. Teeth that you grind or clench can start to flatten, become misshapen, and generally appear less healthy. If the problem persists, you can actually chip or crack teeth! While you can work to correct reflexive grinding during the day, this problem often affects people at night while they are asleep, making it difficult to bring under control.
Using A Custom Oral Appliance To Protect Your Smile At Night
When it comes to preventing dental problems, some patients need to do more than just focus on good oral hygiene. To help you protect your smile against nightly teeth grinding issues, we can recommend the use of a custom oral appliance that you wear at night. When it is in place, it will keep you from being able to clench or grind your teeth, so there is no more concern about damaging them.
Discuss Treatment For Dental Damage With Your Dentist!
How can you respond to dental damage that has already formed? If the harm to your smile is only superficial, we can make plans to restore your appearance through cosmetic dental treatment. Porcelain veneers have been used to help patients regain confidence in the way they look when they smile and speak, as they can positively change the shape, size, and color of worn teeth. If damage has been serious enough to call for restorative dental work, dental crowns can be used to provide more support so that you can still bite and chew with confidence.
Ballard Neighborhood Dentist Can Help Patients Affected By Stress-Related Teeth Grinding
Ballard Neighborhood Dentist is prepared to help patients when they think they are struggling with stress-related teeth grinding issues. If you suspect that you have developed a worrying grinding habit, please call our Seattle, WA dentist’s office at 206-789-2555.
