The unconscious grinding or clenching of teeth is called bruxism. It may occur during the day but mostly at night when a person sleeps. Teeth grinding and clenching are conditions with subtle differences yet equally devastating consequences. Teeth grinding is the act of rubbing teeth against one another. On the other hand, clenching locks our teeth in their place without moving them either backward or forward. There are two main types of bruxism:
Awake Bruxism: Awake bruxism is characterized by clenching your teeth tightly while you are awake. However, due to clenching, there is usually no tooth grinding. This leads to less harm as compared to sleep bruxism. However, the sound of clenching or grinding of teeth can be loud enough to be heard by the people surrounding.
Sleep Bruxism: The grinding or clenching of teeth during sleep is called sleep bruxism. It is actually a sleep-related chewing activity that might be due to the consequence of sleep arousals.
Tension involving frustration, pain, or anger can trigger bruxism. Although stress and emotional turmoil are the leading causes, imbalance in the brain’s neurotransmitters can also lead to this condition. The main consequence of this problem is the erosion of tooth tips because of the grinding action. As a result, your teeth become sensitive, and you may experience facial pain. In severe cases, you also risk dislocating your jaws due to continuous bruxism. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to remedy bruxism as soon as possible, and retainers can help you.
What Are Retainers?
Retainers are plastic or metal elements tailored for each individual to meet their unique tooth alignment. Once in their place, retainers help to restrict the movement of teeth from their position.
How Can Retainers Help You Out With Bruxism?
The main purpose of the retainer is not to actually treat bruxism, as its sole purpose is to provide the restriction in movement. However, depending on the retainer’s material, it can serve the purpose of protection against bruxism. If it’s made from some hard kind of plastic that provides full coverage to the upper and lower teeth, then it can provide relief against the pain caused by the grinding and clenching.
Other than that, nowadays, night guards are also manufactured that serve the dual purpose of a retainer and a night guard. These are effective in protecting bruxism. Thus, by providing a protective covering and restricting the movement of teeth, retainers help to abate the consequences of bruxism. Therefore, with retainers, you will notice a substantial increase in your comfort and a reduction in facial pain.
Retainers can only help keep the damage done by bruxism to a minimum. However, it’s not a cure or remedy; for that, you have to address the underlying causes, and a good dental clinic is exactly what you need to start your journey towards a cure. You can give Bayside Dental a visit and try out our services firsthand., and you can even give us a call at 979-330-4113 to learn more about our services.