Clenching and Grinding the Teeth Treatment in Minneapolis

Clenching and grinding the teeth (also called bruxism) during sleep is a fairly common problem. Much of the reason is due to our stressful lives: worries at night about our lives during the day can manifest themselves in clenching and grinding the teeth.

Bad effects

There are two ill effects to clenching and grinding the teeth as observed by our dentist and dental team.

The most obvious effect seen here at CityTooth is that the surfaces of the teeth are worn down by the nightly clenching and grinding. Surprizingly many of our patients just are not aware that this is happening. The problem is serious, however, because over time the enamel of the grinding teeth is completely worn away, exposing the nerves of the teeth. Once the nerve of a tooth is exposed, the tooth cannot be saved, and the tooth must either be treated with a root canal or extracted.

Secondly, people who grind their teeth at night simply do not sleep as well as they could. We all realize how important sleep is to our happiness, our effectiveness in our work, and so much more. So, solving this problem is one that goes beyond dentistry and dental concerns.

Solution? A night guard

Fortunately there is an easy solution to keeping the ill effects of clenching and grinding the teeth from occurring: an individualized night guard.

A dental night guard is an exact fitting, molded plastic shield made by the dentist or a dental lab that is worn at bedtime. When clenching and grinding occurs while wearing a night guard, the surfaces of the teeth do not come in contact and, consequently, no damage is done to the enamel of the teeth. Also, the majority of patients who wear night guards also experience much, much better sleep at night, which has huge personal and professional ramifications.

Come and see us

Our office is easy for those living and working downtown. We are located across the street from US Bank Plaza and diagonally across from Target. Not sure we are right for you? Stop in and see! We would like to meet you and have you get to know us.