We value keeping your teeth healthy and your smile free from pain. Teeth grinding can cause severe jaw pain and wear down your teeth over time. With Dr. Martin’s 2000+ hours of post-residency experience, he can help you find solutions to your tooth grinding.

Our consultations are thorough and will allow us to discuss your goals for treatment and get to know our team. Call us for a TMJ or bruxism consultation in Lafayette, CO.

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Understanding Bruxism

Bruxism is the term for chronic teeth grinding. It most commonly happens at night, but it can happen during the day, especially in times of stress. If left untreated it can have severe damage to your gums, teeth, and jaw. You may experience:

Gum recession
TMJ pain
Worn or cracked teeth
Headaches
Shifting teeth

However, there are simple solutions for teeth grinding. Dr. Martin offers a comprehensive approach to your smile and can help you treat the underlying cause of your bruxism and prevent it from damaging your smile.

What Causes Bruxism?

Several factors may contribute to this condition. Sleep apnea is a common link, as interruptions in breathing during sleep can cause your jaw to clench. TMJ disorders can also play a role, since jaw misalignment or joint dysfunction may cause grinding as your body tries to find a more comfortable bite position. Stress and anxiety are frequent contributors as well, with many people unconsciously grinding their teeth when they feel tense.

Other potential causes include:

An abnormal bite
Missing or crooked teeth
Lifestyle habits like alcohol or caffeine consumption
Certain medications

Because bruxism can develop from a combination of issues, it’s important to identify the underlying cause before deciding on treatment.

Protect Your Teeth With a Custom Mouthguard

One way we can protect your teeth, especially while you sleep, is by providing a custom night guard, or mouth guard. These are worn to prevent your teeth from grinding together at night, and can also reposition your jaw if jaw misalignment is causing your bruxism.

Our mouth guards are custom-made using digital impressions so you can avoid the mess of plastic impressions. We will also analyze your bite using our Kois bite study technology, so your mouthguard can be the most effective.

The Connection Between Teeth Grinding and TMJ

We take TMJ and TMD seriously at our office, as we understand how difficult pain can be to manage. TMD, which is when you have dysfunction or pain in your jaw, can cause bruxism, but bruxism can also cause jaw pain. Our Kois bite study and custom mouth guards can help reposition your jaw, to alleviate TMD and bruxism together.

During our thorough consultations and regular exams we will check for signs of TMJ as well as signs of bruxism, where your teeth may be worn down in certain areas.

Visit our TMJ page to learn more.

The Connection Between Teeth Grinding and Sleep Apnea

Tooth grinding can also be a sign of sleep apnea. If you are struggling to get enough air as you sleep your jaw can clench or grind. Treating sleep apnea with our custom oral appliances can lessen how often you grind your teeth throughout the night. If you are grinding your teeth and find that you aren’t getting quality sleep, sleep apnea treatment can help.

Visit our sleep apnea page to learn more.

Let Us Help Your Health

Bruxism can have permanent consequences to your health. If you are looking for a comprehensive approach to treating your bruxism, look no further than James Martin, DMD. We treat the underlying cause of your tooth grinding, and prevent damage in your smile. Contact us to schedule an exam or new patient consultation.