The disorder caused by excessive clenching of the teeth, consciously or unconsciously, is called teeth clenching disorder. Teeth clenching, which can happen to most people, may appear for many reasons. Another name for teeth clenching disorder is bruxism. Bruxism, that is teeth clenching disorder, is a condition that has a treatment. However, the cause of this condition may not be only dental or jaw-related. Teeth clenching is usually seen in stressed and anxious people. People of all ages can suffer from bruxism due to hereditary, psychological and stress-related causes. The best approach is for the treatment to target the cause.

How can you tell if you clench your teeth?

• Pain in the temples, jaw, neck and facial muscles,
• Difficulty chewing,
• Difficulty opening the mouth,
• A clicking sound from the jaw,
• The jaw shifting to the right or left when opening.

What other problems can teeth clenching cause?

1. It can cause pain in the jaw joints, gums and teeth.
2. It can cause wear of the teeth.
3. It can cause enamel fractures and changes in tooth colour.
4. If left untreated for a long time, it can lead to gum recession and bone loss.
5. It can damage the facial and jaw muscles. If left untreated for a long time, a square-looking jaw may develop.
6. It can cause severe headaches.

How is teeth clenching treated?

First of all, a night guard can be used to minimise the damage to the teeth and surrounding tissues during clenching. However, the best approach is to reduce the clenching. For this, treatment targeting the cause is carried out. If teeth clenching has a psychological cause, psychological treatment is provided. Antidepressants and muscle relaxants can help reduce clenching. In addition, Botox can be applied to the masseter muscle to reduce the contraction of the muscles that contract excessively and cause clenching. If clenching is caused by improper tooth contacts, the dentist will check the bite of your teeth and apply treatment according to the degree of the contact problem. If there is a minimal contact problem, light reshaping of the teeth may be enough. However, if a serious problem in the bite causes clenching, fillings or prosthetic restorations may be applied.