io9 provides an in-depth explanation of sleep bruxism.
According to Maria Clotilde Carra, a Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry at Rothschild Hospital in Paris, “bruxers” grind their teeth at least two to four times per hour of sleep. When grinding reaches this level of frequency, it gets diagnosed as a sleep disorder. As an important distinction, some 60% of the population exhibits a less intense chewing-like activity when they sleep, but this isn’t sleep bruxism—it’s actually a psychological sleep related movement.
“Bruxism is a nightmare for dentists who see their beautiful restorative work being rapidly destroyed by their patients who keep grinding over it,” says Carra. “Of course this is a problem, and not only for the dentists, but also for the patient who keep losing masticatory function and need to repeat or repair the dentition many many times.”
Because many people “grind”, and often during the day as well(stress),The best treatment must be diagnosed WHY at first. Often, the upper and lower teeth don’t fit properly and the sleep grinding is the unconscious mechanism to eliminate the high areas which can cause real long term problems. Some of those are muscle tenseness and pain, headache and facial pain and wear of the TM Joints. TMJs ( jaw joints the let the mouth open and close)are the only joints in the body that move in 3 directions and can be super sensitive.
One great treatment is special intra-oral(inside the mouth) removable overlay “appliances”. It can hold the teeth properly,change the oral feeling and decrease or ELIMINATE the grinding (day or night). This can save your mouth and teeth.AND, it is comfortable. Anyone on Long Island NY is welcome at my office for an exam. I hope this was helpful
PS Insurance may pay
CLENCHING THE TEETH TOGETHER OPENS THE PHARYNGEAL AIRWAY LATERALLY. SO SOME BRUXISM MAY BE DUE TO DIMINISHED AIRWAY(OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA). EVALUATION FOR THIS SHOULD INCLUDE A MALLAMPATI CLASSIFICATION AND EPWORTH SLEEPINESS QUESTIONAIRE.
DYSFUNCTIONAL BREATHING HABITS CAN BE OBSERVED WITH CAPNOMETRY.
DAYTIME CORRECT ORAL POSTURE(LIPS TOGETHER AND TONGUE RESTING IN THE ROOF OF THE MOUTH WITH THE TEETH IN SLIGHT CONTACT) CAN HELP LESSEN THE EFFECTS OF BRUXISM.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CORRECT BREATHING VISIT http://WWW.BREATHINGWELLOPT.COM. CHECK FOR A TRAINER IN YOUR AREA.