What is bruxism?
Bruxism is the clenching and grinding of the teeth. Patients may do this unknowingly in their sleep, and it can cause extensive damage to the natural smile. In fact, it can cause patients to experience unwanted wear and tear on the teeth, especially if they do not have a properly aligned bite. Additionally, patients with restorations such as dental crowns or porcelain veneers may also experience breakage of these repairs. However, one expensive concern is the damage bruxism can do to dental implants. Dental implants are also susceptible to the problems resulting from bruxism, including failure.
How dental implants are affected by bruxism
Sometimes, the grinding and clenching of the teeth can impact dental implants by damaging the dental crown, dental bridge, or denture used on top. Or, if the condition causes severe damage, it can also result in implant failure. This can be an expensive problem—and an expensive fix—so preventing the problem from occurring is the first line of defense.
What can be done to protect dental implants from failure with bruxism?
The best way to protect the smile from damage caused by bruxism is with a special, custom mouthguard. These mouthguards are made to fit the smile and can be worn at night to cushion the tension caused by bruxism and reduce other symptoms associated with the condition, such as chronic headaches and migraines.
Request an appointment with Dr. Nancy Gill today
Patients of Golden, Colorado who are in need of dental implants or are considering them, even with a diagnosis of bruxism, are welcome to connect with Golden Dental Solutions to discuss the benefits of implants and the ways of protecting them against clenching and grinding at night. Call (303) 277-9600 and request a visit with our team at 1218 Arapahoe Street.
