Bruxism Specialist NYC | Teeth Clenching At Night | Grinding

Teeth Clenching At Night & Teeth Grinding At Night

Teeth clenching at night and grinding at night are real problems for thousands, if not millions, of people. The medical term is sleep bruxism, and every week in our office, we see patients whose painful and concerning TMJ symptoms are directly related to sleep bruxism.

Some people even grind their teeth while awake (to read about teeth grinding while awake, scroll down).

Are you a clencher or grinder? If so, you may have one or more of the following signs and symptoms of a TMJ disorder:

Jaw pain
Facial pain
Jaw clicking or locking
Limited jaw opening
A change in your bite
Headaches in your temples or face
Jaw stiffness and tightness
A bulky, overdeveloped jawline
Loose, worn-down, or fractured teeth
Neck pain on awakening
Sore teeth on awakening

At New York TMJ & Orofacial Pain, our doctors have decades of experience treating patients who suffer from the symptoms and signs of sleep bruxism. Board-certified Orofacial Pain specialists head our team – some of the few in the NYC area – and we have numerous proven treatment methods to help you stop teeth clenching at night (or teeth grinding at night), so you can sleep better and feel better, too!

To make an appointment at one of our offices in Manhattan, Westchester County, or Long Island, call 212-265-0110 (If you can’t call, complete this [popup_anything id=”11450″], and we’ll get back to you soon as possible.)

Teeth Clenching & Grinding – Humans Have Been Doing It For Centuries

Humans have been teeth clenching at night, teeth grinding at night, and even teeth grinding while awake for centuries. There’s archeological evidence that the 15th-century King of England and the 16th-century explorer Galileo both did it! While this human experience is ancient in its history, it’s prevalent in society today, and we are beginning to understand why this often-destructive activity occurs.

Studies suggest that teeth clenching at night and teeth grinding at night are similar to other abnormal sleep activities such as sleepwalking, bedwetting, and night terrors. And can vary in frequency from every night to once in a while. The symptoms and problems that emerge from this activity are also quite variable.

Ongoing research suggests several factors likely responsible for the onset and persistence of sleep bruxism and the consequential symptoms of TMJ symptoms that can develop. Here is an up-to-date list of the potential causes and/or risk factors that can drive sleep bruxism, broken down into two categories: psychosocial and medical.

What Causes Teeth Clenching At Night & Teeth Grinding At Night?

The symptoms of sleep bruxism can keep you from enjoying your life. It can be caused by:

Psychosocial Causes

Stress
Anxiety
Fear
Frustration
Poor social support
Personality

Medical Causes

Restless & disrupted sleep
Altered brain chemistry
Certain antidepressants & ADD/ADHD medications
Genetics
Alcohol & caffeine
Nutritional deficiencies such as calcium & magnesium

The Good News!

At New York TMJ & Orofacial Pain, we have many proven methods that help reduce the risk factors that may be causing your sleep bruxism and, at the same time, reduce its impact so your fatigued and injured TMJs and jaw muscles can heal.

Call 212-265-0110 to make an appointment at one of our four convenient offices in Manhattan, White Plains, Long Island and Springfield, NJ. (If you can’t call, complete this quick [popup_anything id=”5295″], and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.)

What About Teeth Grinding While Awake?

Teeth grinding while you’re awake is also very common and is called awake bruxism. In the same way that teeth clenching at night and teeth grinding at night can fatigue or injure your jaw muscles and compromise the stability of your TMJs, teeth grinding when you’re awake can give rise to the same types of injuries and symptoms.

Symptoms that can be caused by teeth grinding while awake are:

Jaw pain
Facial pain
Jaw clicking, popping, or locking
Limited jaw motion (lockjaw)
A bulky jawline
Sore and sensitive teeth

Should Your Upper & Lower Teeth Be In Contact During The Day?

The answer is no. During the day, your upper and lower teeth should not rest on each other – or even touch. If your teeth are in contact during the day, the muscles of your face can tighten, and you essentially make a fist in your face.

The tooth-on-tooth tendency for most people is a behavioral response to life’s stresses, challenges, conflicts, and emotions. If you clench or grind your teeth during the day, at the same time, you may also be bracing your jaw muscles, jutting out your jaws, furrowing your brows, or hunching your shoulders and back muscles.

Over time, these unnatural and taxing postures and behaviors can lead to muscle fatigue. Once your muscles become fatigued, lactic acid and other irritating chemicals can build up and cause them to become sore. If your muscles continue to be overworked and fatigued, further physical changes may occur, such as muscle trigger points, which can refer pain elsewhere.

At New York TMJ and Orofacial Pain, we teach patients how to maintain a more relaxed jaw posture that, over time, can reduce or eliminate the painful symptoms of jaw clenching during the day. Diagnosis and treatment begin by us getting to know you as a person – when we understand what’s driving your tendency to “make a fist in your face,” we can work to put you on the road to recovery.

How To Book An Appointment With A Bruxism Specialist In NYC

A board-certified bruxism specialist in NYC is available for you if you suspect your painful and troubling jaw problems or facial pain is related to teeth clenching at night and teeth grinding at night – or even teeth grinding while awake. Each bruxism specialist in NYC on our staff is an expert in treating people with your symptoms.

When you see a bruxism specialist in NYC at our office, you will be listened to, treated with compassion, and receive the best care for bruxism in the city.

Book Your Appointment With A Bruxism Specialist in NYC Today.

To make an appointment with a bruxism specialist in NYC at our office conveniently located at Rockefeller Plaza, or one of our other TMJ Office locations. Simply call 212-265-0110 or [popup_anything id=”5295″] to submit a quick form. We look forward to introducing you to your bruxism specialist in NYC.

How We Treat Teeth Clenching At Night, Teeth Grinding At Night, & Teeth Grinding While Awake At New York TMJ & Orofacial Pain

Source: Journal of Archaeological Science