Many people currently suffer from bruxism, the clenching or grinding of teeth during the day and especially at night. Unfortunately, the consequences can be far-reaching, ranging from grinding and consequent wear of the teeth to jaw, facial, and headaches, and even the complete destruction of teeth in the jaw.
Bruxism is often triggered by emotional stress, anxiety, and stress. Unprocessed emotions manifest themselves at night, being harmful and painful. Misalignment of the teeth can also lead to bruxism. Bruxism often occurs in conjunction with sleep apnea. There are various therapeutic approaches.
First, we would recommend a nightguard, which we tailor to fit you individually. The nightguard helps protect your teeth and reduce grinding. If your symptoms are attributed to sleep disorders such as snoring and sleep apnea, these should be addressed first. Here, we offer specialized therapy, see “Treating Snoring and Sleep Apnea”.
In addition, individual relaxation techniques are highly recommended. Breathing, autogenic training, meditation, yoga, etc., help reduce bruxism and stress in general. In some cases, especially with severe grinding and clenching, a specialized botulinum (Botox) therapy can achieve great success.
The treatment is quick and straightforward. Botox is injected directly into the chewing muscles, reducing their overactivity and thus significantly reducing pressure on the teeth. The effects are noticeable within a few days. Injections should be repeated every 4 to 6 months.