Clenching & Grinding (Bruxism)

If you wake up with jaw soreness, headaches, or sensitive teeth, or if someone has told you that you grind your teeth at night, you may be experiencing bruxism, the clinical term for clenching and grinding. This is a very common condition, and it can be surprisingly destructive! Our team takes clenching and grinding seriously, because untreated bruxism can cause significant and progressive damage to your teeth, jaw joints, and surrounding muscles over time.

Our doctors are experienced in evaluating and managing bruxism. After assessing your bite, tooth wear patterns, jaw function, and related symptoms, we'll discuss what we're seeing and recommend the most appropriate treatment. Clenching and grinding often has underlying causes, from stress to bite imbalances to sleep disorders, and we'll work with you to address those factors as part of your care. Patients can benefit from a wide variety of non-invasive solutions such as individualized self-care programs, physical therapy, a custom fitted night guard, medication interventions, or further coordination of care with a head and neck pain specialist for our most complex cases. Some patients will benefit from addressing imbalances in bite forces through orthodontic tooth movement or restorative dental care. We work with you to find meaningful solutions to provide comfort and longevity for your teeth and jaws.