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Bruxism - Medical Negligence Compensation
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Bruxism is a medical condition that results in grinding, gnashing or clenching of the teeth. It can happen during the daytime or can happen in your sleep and is usually an unconscious behaviour. When it happens at night, it is called "sleep bruxism". Bruxism can be a mild condition, requiring no specific treatment but if it is severe and frequent, it can lead to secondary side effects so that treatment is necessary. Some people don't know that they even have the disease so that complications can occur.
The symptoms and signs of bruxism can include the presence of teeth grinding or clenching, which can awaken one's sleep partner. It can include broken, chipped or flattened teeth as well as worn tooth enamel so that the deeper layers of the tooth are exposed. The teeth become more sensitive so that jaw pain or tightness can occur in the muscles of the jaw. The muscles of the jaw can become hypertrophic from being used so much. There can be an earache from severe muscle contractions and a headache. People with bruxism can have chronic pain in their face and can have cheek tissue chewed out of the side of their cheek. The tongue can be chewed and there can be indentations of the tongue.
The cause of bruxism isn't really known. There can be physiological or psychological reasons behind having bruxism. Some causes can be stress, tension or anxiety. Having an aggressive personality type can trigger bruxism as can having abnormal alignment of the teeth (malocclusion). People who are angry or frustrated can develop bruxism. Changes can occur as a result of the sleep cycle and, especially in children, can be a sign they have a toothache, an earache or are teething. As the jaw and teeth develop in children, they can get bruxism. Those who have Huntington's disease or Parkinson's disease are at higher risk for having bruxism. Certain antidepressants can have bruxism as a side effect.
Risk factors for bruxism include stress and being of a younger age. It often goes away as a child reaches adolescence.
Bruxism doesn't have to cause much in the way of complications. Severe bruxism, on the other hand, can damage the teeth, including crowns and other restorations, tension headaches, facial pain, and degeneration and pain in the temporomandibular joint or TMJ, located on the side of the face.
During dental exams, the doctor may be able to tell if you have the typical signs of bruxism. These can include an unusual wear pattern on the teeth and breakdown of different types of dental restorations, tooth fractures or breakdown and sensitivity of the tooth.
If the dentist or doctor finds evidence of bruxism, he or she may ask you questions about your dental health, the medications you take and whether you are a drinker or drink caffeine late at night. They may ask whether or not your sleeping partner notices anything like grinding of the teeth late at night.
The extent of the bruxism is determined by how tender your jaws are and how deformed or damaged your teeth and the inside of your mouth are. X-rays can show how severe the bruxism is. Related diseases include TMJ disease, ear infections or other dental problems. A sleep therapist or regular therapist may be recommended in order to help with the psychological components of the disorder. Often no obvious treatment is required.
If therapies are required, a number of choices are available, including stress management with a counselor or stress manager specialist. These help promote relaxation and involve exercises and meditation, among other things.
A mouth guard or splint can be used to correct the medical problem. Splints are made of hard acrylic material and fit over your teeth to protect them. Mouth guards can be found at the pharmacy and are not custom fit. They fit over the teeth and prevent bruxism. Specialty mouth guards can be made by a dentist, which are cheaper than splints but don't fit as well.
If teeth are misaligned, they need to be fixed with braces or overlays that change the surface of the teeth in question. Changing the alignment of the teeth can fix the bruxism but it is not a guarantee and you may still have the condition.
Behavioral therapy directed at bruxism teaches people the proper way to position their mouth and jaw so that bruxism can't occur. The sufferer needs to focus on resting the tongue on the top of the mouth so that the teeth are apart and the mouth is closed. It takes practice but it can work to a degree. Biofeedback works well, too, to correct the symptoms of bruxism.