Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)
Teeth grinding (bruxism) describes the involuntary compression and the forth and back movement of the dental arches. Mostly, the symptoms occur during sleep, and, in rare cases, during the day.
During the involuntary compression of the dental arches, typical for bruxism, an extremely high pressure is applied on the teeth and the jaw joints, which is about ten times higher than the usual chewing pressure. This leads to long-term and severe damages, which might range from abrasion to fracture and even loss of teeth. Besides, regular injuries of the gums, tongue and lips as well as muscle problems, headaches and sleep disorders arise.
With an individually produced occlusal splint (Michigan splint), the compression of the dental arches is prevented and the jaw muscles and joints are thus relieved. Alternative treatment methods are, e.g. physical therapy and relaxation exercises, which can also be carried out at home.
