The Biggest Problems with Having Bruxism

On the surface, the biggest problems with bruxism is the chronic teeth-grinding that it consists of. Over time, the constant pressure and friction can lead to a wide range of immediate and long-term concerns with your health and integrity of your teeth. However, the longer it continues, the more complex the problems of bruxism can become, and in severe cases, recovering from it could require more extensive treatment than you expect.

You won’t notice your teeth wearing down

The constant pressure and friction that your teeth put each other through when you have bruxism can directly wear down their chewing surfaces faster than you realize. This type of damage to your tooth structure isn’t always obvious, but it can have significant consequences on things like the health and integrity of your teeth, and the overall balance of your bite. The more you grind your teeth together, the more pronounced the excessive wear will become. This can have diminishing impacts on your bite’s function as well as the health and integrity of other aspects of your oral health.

Your teeth are more likely to crack or break

Tooth wear is one potential problem associated with bruxism that will continue to get worse the longer it’s left untreated. As your teeth become weaker, however, they can also become more likely to develop fractures in their surfaces or to break under the pressure of your bite. When a tooth cracks or breaks, it can become unable to withstand your bite’s pressure, and the damage can grow increasingly worse. This is even more likely to occur under the consistent pressure and friction of your bruxism problem.

Your bite’s function can suffer over time

In addition to the overall health and integrity of your tooth structure, other parts of your bite function can also suffer under the weight of constant teeth-grinding. For example, the jaw joints and muscles that control your bite’s movement can become exhausted or damaged when they’re overworked. This can lead to the development of a jaw dysfunction known as TMJ disorder, which impacts your bite’s ability to function and can lead to a wide range of increasingly more severe discomfort.

Learn how to deal with your bruxism problem

When it’s left untreated long enough, bruxism can cause a wide range of problems for your oral health. To learn more, call our Cleveland Family Dentistry office in Cleveland, TX, today at (281) 592-1234. We also serve the residents of Kingwood, Conroe, Livingston, and all surrounding communities.