Do you grind or clench your teeth or have worn, ground-down teeth? Do you suffer from headaches and jaw pain? If so, you might have a teeth grinding or clenching habit known as bruxism. Dr. Nicole Pagonis can treat bruxism with custom-made mouthguards to wear during sleep. We can also show you some effective relaxation techniques to help you stop chronic teeth grinding. However, oral appliance therapy, like mouthguards, is the most effective treatment for a bruxing habit.
What Is Oral Appliance Therapy?
Oral appliance therapy consists of wearing a nightguard, mouthguard, or occlusal appliance that repositions the jaws and teeth. Wearing a mouthguard helps protect the teeth from pressure and wear from clenching and grinding. At the dental office of Nicole E Pagonis DDS, we create custom nightguards you can wear during sleep.
A nightguard comfortably fits over the lower and upper teeth, creating a barrier between them, and protecting your smile from further damage. Custom nightguards ultimately allow your teeth to rest in a balanced, harmonious position so your smile functions smoothly when you are awake.
How Is Bruxism Diagnosed?
We invite you to our Los Gatos dental office for a bruxism screening. Dr. Pagonis will look for signs like:
- Uneven wear on teeth or dental restorations
- Bulky, boxy, or highly developed jaw muscles
- Gum recession, or gums that pull away from the teeth
- Broken or chipped teeth
- Bite marks on the inside of your cheeks
- Vertical lines (“craze” lines) or cracks on teeth
She will also ask you if you have facial soreness, headaches, migraines, or pain in the jaw, shoulders, or neck. To determine if you have bruxism, we might recommend a sleep study, as teeth grinding and clenching are often linked with sleep apnea. Many times, treating sleep apnea relieves bruxism too.
Call Us About Bruxism Treatment in Los Gatos, CA
You don't have to live in pain if you suffer from bruxism or temporomandibular disorder (TMD). Dr. Nicole Pagonis is an expert in treating bruxism and TMD so you can finally enjoy your life again.
Please get in touch with our dental office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Pagonis.