Grinding & Clenching
These habits can damage teeth and lead to muscle and joint soreness. While grinding at night can occur, damage can also be caused by daytime clenching. While many people do it to some degree, most are unaware. The damaging effects of night time grinding can be prevented by wearing a splint
Accelerated tooth wear results from a grinding habit or other abnormal movement of the teeth against each other (eg. fingernail biting). However, a significant component of the loss of tooth mass can be due to the erosion of the tooth surface from an acidic environment (eg. from foods, drinks, lack of hydration etc).
Temporo mandibular joint dysfunction
This is a condition which affects the joint of the jaw and the supporting muscles. It can result in a number of symptoms from either the joint and or the supporting muscles. The symptoms associated with this condition are as follows:
- Headache,
- Earache
- Jaw pain
- Neck ache
- Noise from the joint like clicking, popping and grating.
- Abnormal jaw opening: like deviation, limitations and locking on opening
These conditions can be treated effectively with a number of strategies. This practice uses the latest CAD CAM technology to fabricate high quality splints which can ease symptoms and protect teeth.
The practice also works closely with a number of physiotherapy and osteopathic practices to who can treat symptoms effectively with musculoskeletal manipulation.