Due to the stresses of family obligations or work, some folks may clench their teeth from time to time. When teeth grinding, medically dubbed "bruxism," happens on a regular basis, it can present different oral health complications and tooth damage.Dr. Robert Petrtyl, whose practice resides in Cincinnati, gives patients an overview of bruxism and treatments for this disorder.

Here's what you should know about teeth grinding:

What Causes Bruxism

There are multiple factors that can cause teeth grinding, including anxiety, abnormal bites, crooked or missing teeth, or sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, and especially heredity factors.

Effects of Teeth Grinding

Chronic bruxism can result in numerous dental and oral issues, such as excessive tooth wear, tooth fractures, hypersensitive teeth, grooves in the teeth at the gumline, cheek biting, hypertrophy of the jaw bone.

Bruxism can also lead to expensive restorative dentistry procedures, including bridges and crowns, fillings, to repair the damage and even tooth extraction services.

Also, chronic bruxism can cause jaw problems, which include joint tenderness, muscle spasms, headaches, and misaligned bites due to muscle hypertension and shifting of the lower jaw positions.

What Can Be Done

The general dentistry experts at Dr. Robert Petrtyl’s facility offer numerous treatments for teeth grinding. From dental restorations such as fillings and crowns, to creating customized dental guards and occlusal splints, you can manage your bruxism with their help. A dental guard is worn at night to prevent wear and tear on the teeth from excessive grinding.

Dr. Robert Petrtyl offers a plethora of general dentistry and pediatric dentistry care for the Cincinnati area. For more than 30 years, these dental experts have been helping patients with tooth grinding issues. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (513) 554-4657 or visit their website.