Bruxism is common at night, but it can occur during the day in response to stress in some people. This condition can also affect individuals who have full dentures (have lost most if not all their teeth). Bruxism causes excessive pressure on your jaws and teeth, causing pain, TMJ, and teeth damage. For denture wearers, teeth grinding, and clenching will put extra stress on the dentures and accelerate wearing out. If it happens at night when you have removed your dentures, it will damage your gums and bones. This may result in bone resorption, which changes your bone density, affecting your denture fit.
HOW BRUXISM WILL DAMAGE YOUR DENTURES
If you grind your teeth during the day, your dentures will wear out faster. Your dentures may also crack or break depending on the force exerted when you clench your teeth. However, this does not imply that taking a break from your dentures at night will prevent them from the impacts of untreated bruxism. On the contrary, bruxism will impact your jaws and gums as you sleep. This will result in gum resorption, affecting your denture fit. Poorly fitting dentures pose risks, including sores that may become infected, causing gum disease. With increased wear and poor fit, you will need to replace your dentures sooner than you should.
WHAT TO DO TO PREVENT DENTURE DAMAGE FROM BRUXISM
If you use partial dentures, we will recommend a mouth guard to protect your mouth when you are sleeping. Mouthguards redistribute the force from teeth grinding and create an even bite, protecting your oral tissues from damage. We will also recommend neuromuscular dentures, which are made in such a way as to help you achieve a better bite, reducing your risk of bruxism. If you are experiencing pain from bruxism, we will recommend other measures to alleviate it. For more details on dentures and bruxism, contact our office today.