How To Repair Teeth Grinding Damage?

Bruxism may not be life-threatening, but it can certainly be brutal. The recurring teeth grinding and jaw clenching damages tooth enamel and stresses the muscles and tissues in the mouth and jaw. While the behavior may be an unconscious one, it can leave you dealing with cracked and worn teeth, jaw pain, headaches and earaches, and shattered sleep. It's also associated with troubles with the temporomandibular joint, which are often referred to as TMD or TMJ disorders. Over time, the tooth wear can be quite noticeable. Fortunately, dentists have real solutions. If you're tired of hiding behind a tight-lipped smile, discovering how to repair teeth grinding damage can be freeing.

With today's cosmetic dentistry treatments, you have real choices. There's no need to settle for a one-size-fits-all solution. You can work with your dentist to create a treatment plan that meets your needs and your budget. However, there are excellent reasons to make sure that you've dealt with any underlying oral health issues first.

How to Repair Teeth Grinding: Cosmetic DentistryTreatment Options

Cosmetic dental treatments improve the look of your teeth, bite, or smile. They vary in their invasiveness, permanency, and cost. When you're ready for a smile makeover, your cosmetic dentist is likely to suggest using one or more of these popular options in your personalized treatment plan: dental bonding, porcelain veneers, and dental crowns.

Dental Bonding

In the hands of a talented cosmetic dentist, dental bonding can work wonders for your smile. Sometimes called cosmetic bonding, this approach to repair teeth grinding damage is the quickest. It also comes with the friendliest price tag.

With bonding, the dentist takes a putty-like resin, matches it to the color of your teeth, and applies it to your teeth. The material is hardened with an ultraviolet or laser light. Then, it's trimmed, sculpted, and polished. When your dentist is done, it will look and function like a natural tooth.

Bonding is a great way to fix teeth that are stained, chipped, or oddly shaped. It can also be used to build up worn teeth or those with minor cracks. Bonding lasts for years. It requires no specific care to maintain. According to  Crest.com, you can expect to pay between $100 and $400 per tooth for dental bonding.

Porcelain Veneers

According to the  American Dental Association, porcelain veneers are among the most popular cosmetic dental treatments. If you're considering them, you've got plenty of company. However, this treatment is more invasive and more expensive than bonding. It also takes longer; most patients will need to make three trips to their dentist.

Porcelain veneers are thin shells that are created in a lab and bonded to the front of your natural teeth to improve your smile. For this to work, the dentist must shave away about 0.5 millimeters of enamel from the front of your teeth to make room for the veneers. Once the veneers are in place, you'll have a selfie-ready smile.

Veneers can be used to change the color, shape size, or length of a tooth. With proper care, they typically have a lifespan of about 10 years before they need to be replaced. According to  Crest.com, you can expect to pay between $500 and $1,300 per tooth for porcelain veneers.

Dental Crowns

Dental crowns can serve both restorative and cosmetic functions. While few would call them a cheap fix, they can deliver great value by restoring your ability to chew, bite, and smile freely.

Sometimes called caps, dental crowns are covers. They fit over and replace a weakened or damaged tooth above the gumline. They can be made from ceramic, porcelain fused to metal, resin, or metal. Crowns that are visible when you speak or smile normally resemble a tooth. In fact, your dentist will carefully match the color of the material to your teeth. In many cases, you'll need to make at least two visits to get a crown. However, some dentists offer same-day crowns.

A crown offers a chance to give a badly damaged tooth a fresh start. According to  Crest.com, you can expect to pay between $500 and $900 per tooth for a dental crown.

Related Articles:

• How To Seal Exposed Dentin
• Cracked Tooth Common Causes
• Teeth Before and After Grinding

Before Your Cosmetic Dentistry Treatment Begins

Picturing your new smile is exciting. However, before you dive into your new treatment, there's something you should do first. Find an effective treatment for your teeth grinding.

In the short term, failure to deal with your bruxing first could undo the effects of your cosmetic treatment. The grinding and clenching could damage your new dental work the same way it has damaged your teeth. In the long term, untreated bruxism can be incredibly harmful to your dental health. Left unchecked, it can lead to tooth damage and tooth loss. It can also cause pain in your face, jaw, ear, head, neck, and shoulders. Plus, the grinding sounds can disrupt sleep for both you and your partner. This can be hard on your relationship and your health.

Shop Now

Treating Bruxism and Protecting Your Smile

Night guards are one of the most commonly recommended treatments for bruxism. They're not just safe and effective. They're also easy to use, readily available, fairly comfortable, and affordable. This is especially true if you're a savvy shopper who uses a trusted online source like Pro Teeth Guard. With so many advantages, it's no surprise that they're a popular pick among people battling bruxism.

Night guards are sometimes called mouthguards, bite guards, bite splints, occlusal guards, or dental guards. Whatever name you use, the method remains the same. The night guard is an oral device that covers either the top or bottom teeth. As the American Sleep Association explains, the guard provides a cushion that protects your teeth and jaw muscles from the strain of grinding and clenching.

Related Articles:

• Night Guard For Veneers
• Do I Need A New Night Guard After A Crown?
• Night Guard After Dental Implant

If you're eager to repair teeth grinding damage and reshape your smile with cosmetic dentistry but worried about protecting it from bruxism, consider this: you can use a night guard to shield your new smile. Crowns, veneers, and bonding are all compatible with night guards. However, you may need to take a new impression and order a new night guard to get a proper fit. Pro Teeth Guard offers custom-fit mouthguards at affordable prices. We make our night guards in a professional dental lab, and every night guard is guaranteed to fit comfortably. In fact, we stand behind our products with our 110% money-back guarantee.