Teeth Grinding Solutions in Swansea, IL

Does Your Child Grind Their Teeth?

Teeth clenching and grinding are known as bruxism. It’s a common condition, but it can cause severe dental issues if left untreated. Bruxism can affect people in all stages of life and can be particularly detrimental to children.

Some children’s bruxism only occurs during the day, but teeth grinding during sleep is the most prevalent type. At Corner Stone Dental, our top-rated dentists can diagnose your child’s bruxism and get them the treatment they need to protect their smile.

Symptoms of Bruxism

Sometimes parents can hear their child’s intense teeth grinding, especially if it occurs during the night. Daytime grinding and clenching can be more difficult to notice, but there are additional symptoms that may indicate your child requires treatment. These include:

• Frequent headaches
• Injured teeth and gums
• Loud clicking noises when they open their mouth
• Tightening or clenching jaw muscles
• Sore jaw muscles in the morning
• Tooth sensitivity to hot and cold foods

The condition of your child’s teeth often provides clues about the intensity and frequency of teeth grinding. For example, chronic bruxism will erode your child’s teeth, wearing down tooth enamel, and leading to an increased risk for cavities.

What Causes Children to Grind Their Teeth?

Several factors contribute to teeth grinding, and we’ll pinpoint the source of your child’s pain. Most commonly, jaw misalignment can result in grinding because the patient has an uncomfortable bite, which is referred to as malocclusion.

Stress is another common cause of bruxism in children. If this is the case, we’ll recommend strategies to help your child reduce stress. We also have treatments to protect their teeth.

Treatment Options

In the majority of children, bruxism ceases by the age of 13. But it’s still important to seek treatment because teeth grinding can negatively impact your child’s health. The cause and severity of your child’s bruxism will determine our treatment strategy.

Correcting Poor Alignment

If your child’s teeth are poorly aligned, we’ll take measures to correct them. This may involve altering the biting surface of the teeth using crowns or correcting the position of your child’s teeth through orthodontic treatment.

Relaxation Techniques

When stress is an underlying cause of bruxism, we need to treat your child’s stress directly. In these cases, we may recommend relaxation classes, professional therapy, or special breathing exercises. We can also provide muscle relaxants to help with jaw clenching.

Mouthguards

In cases involving significant damage, our dentist may recommend a nighttime dental appliance, often referred to as a bite guard. These appliances are similar to a sports mouthguard, but they’re comfortable enough to wear while sleeping. Bite guards protect your teeth by preventing tooth surfaces from grinding against each other.

Frequently Asked Questions