By the Lakehurst Dental Team · Medically reviewed by Brian S. Klohn, DMD, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, 1991 · Lakehurst Dental, 19 Union Avenue, Lakehurst, NJ
Quick Answer
Bruxism is chronic clenching and grinding of the teeth, and it often happens during sleep, which is why most people are unaware of it. Common signs are waking with jaw soreness or headaches, teeth that feel loose or tender in the morning, worn or flattened biting surfaces, and cracked or chipped teeth. Stress and anxiety are the most common causes, though a sleep disorder, an abnormal bite, or missing and poorly aligned teeth can contribute. A custom-made night guard is the usual protective measure.
What This Article Covers
- What Bruxism Is
- The Signs You Can Notice Yourself
- The Signs a Dentist Looks For
- Why It Happens
- What the Damage Actually Costs
- How a Night Guard Works
- Living With a Night Guard
- What Else Helps
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Bruxism Is
Bruxism is the clinical term for habitual clenching of the jaw and grinding of the teeth. It can occur while awake — often as a concentration or stress habit — or during sleep, where it is entirely involuntary.
Sleep bruxism is the harder version to catch, because the person doing it is asleep. Frequently the first person to notice is a partner who hears it, or a dentist who sees the wear pattern.
The forces involved during sleep can exceed those a person can generate consciously, which is why the damage accumulates.
The Signs You Can Notice Yourself
Waking with an aching jaw, facial muscle soreness, or a headache around the temples is a classic pattern. So is waking with teeth that feel sore, loose or sensitive, with symptoms easing as the day goes on.
You might notice increased sensitivity to hot and cold, because worn enamel exposes the more sensitive layer beneath. Some people notice a clicking jaw or difficulty opening fully.
Others notice the sound only through a partner. Grinding during sleep can be loud enough to wake someone else in the room.
The Signs a Dentist Looks For
On examination, a dentist looks for flattened or shortened biting surfaces, wear facets that match up when the jaws are moved together, chipping at the edges of front teeth, and cracks in enamel.
Other indicators include a ridge of thickened tissue along the inside of the cheek where it presses between the teeth, scalloped indentations along the edges of the tongue, and enlarged jaw muscles.
Restorations tell a story too. Fillings, crowns and veneers that keep chipping or debonding often point to parafunctional force rather than to poor dentistry.
Why It Happens
Stress and anxiety are the most commonly cited contributors. Periods of higher pressure at work or home frequently coincide with worse symptoms.
Other contributing factors include an abnormal bite, teeth that are missing or poorly aligned, and sleep disorders. Because sleep-disordered breathing can be associated with grinding, persistent symptoms are sometimes worth discussing with a physician as well as a dentist.
It is often multifactorial rather than a single cause, which is why management usually combines protection of the teeth with addressing whatever contributing factors can be addressed.
What the Damage Actually Costs
Enamel does not regenerate. Once biting surfaces are worn flat, restoring the original anatomy means restorative dentistry — and where wear is extensive, that can mean multiple crowns.
Grinding also stresses the jaw joint and the muscles around it, producing the headaches and facial pain many patients describe. And it applies damaging force to any existing dental work, including veneers, fillings and implant restorations.
Catching it early is considerably cheaper and less invasive than rebuilding worn teeth later.
How a Night Guard Works
A night guard is an appliance designed to fit over the teeth and hold the jaws slightly apart during sleep. It does not stop the brain from initiating grinding, but it changes what the force lands on.
By separating the arches, it prevents tooth-on-tooth contact, so the enamel is protected. It also reduces muscle strain and excessive pressure on the jaw joint, which is why many patients report fewer morning headaches.
A guard fabricated at the dental office is made to fit your own teeth and bite. In addition to preventing damage to the tissues around the mouth, a custom night guard can help curb the habit and give the wearer a better night’s sleep.
Living With a Night Guard
There is an adjustment period. Wearing an appliance overnight feels unfamiliar at first, and most people settle into it. If it feels uncomfortable, or your bite feels wrong when you wake, contact the practice so the fit can be checked and adjusted.
Rinse it after use, clean it as directed, and store it dry in its case. Bring it to routine checkups so its fit and wear can be reviewed — a guard that is wearing through is doing its job, and needs replacing before it stops protecting.
A guard that lives in a drawer protects nothing. Consistency is what makes the difference.
What Else Helps
Because stress is a common contributor, anything that genuinely reduces it can help. Managing caffeine and alcohol, particularly in the evening, is often suggested. Being conscious of daytime clenching — noticing when your teeth are together and deliberately relaxing the jaw — helps the awake form of the habit.
Where an abnormal bite or missing teeth contribute, addressing those may form part of the plan. Where sleep-disordered breathing is suspected, referral for medical assessment may be appropriate.
No single measure resolves bruxism for everyone. Protecting the teeth while addressing contributors is the practical approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common signs are waking with jaw pain, facial soreness or headaches, teeth that feel sore or loose in the morning, increased sensitivity, and visible flattening or chipping of the biting edges. A partner may also hear it. A dentist can confirm it from the wear pattern on your teeth.
Stress and anxiety are the most common causes. Other contributing factors include a sleep disorder, an abnormal bite, and teeth that are missing or poorly aligned. It is often a combination rather than one single cause.
It does not stop the brain initiating the habit, but it prevents tooth-on-tooth contact and reduces strain on the jaw muscles and joint. A custom guard can also help curb the habit over time.
A guard made at the dental office is fabricated to fit your own teeth and bite, which affects both comfort and how consistently it gets worn. Fit also determines how evenly the biting forces are distributed.
Yes. Grinding applies heavy repeated force to teeth and restorations alike, and is a common reason cosmetic and restorative work fails earlier than expected. Protection is often recommended alongside such treatment.
No. Enamel does not regenerate. Where wear has significantly changed the shape of the teeth, restoring them requires restorative dentistry, which is why protecting them early is worthwhile.
Rinse it after each use, clean it as your dentist directs, and store it dry in its case. Bring it to your checkups so the fit and any wear can be reviewed.
Speak With a Dentist in Lakehurst
If you wake with a sore jaw or headaches, or you have noticed your teeth chipping or flattening, an examination can confirm whether grinding is the cause. Lakehurst Dental has cared for families in Lakehurst, Toms River and across Ocean and Monmouth counties for more than 34 years. To ask a question or arrange a consultation, call (732) 943-4090 or contact our office.
This article is general information and is not a substitute for an examination and personal advice from your dentist.