With an increase in life stresses, more patients are experiencing teeth wear, fractured teeth and muscle and joint tenderness. This can be accentuated if you are clenching or grinding your teeth, especially at night when significantly more biting force is placed onto your teeth. Most patients who do this, are usually unaware.
If you are experiencing muscle tenderness or pain, jaw joint clicking, headaches, locked jaw, lopsided opening, difficulty opening your mouth or worsening symptoms, this warrants a joint assessment with your dentist. We will assess your symptoms, as well as your jaw joint, muscles, teeth position and wear patterns.
Massage can assist in releasing muscle pain and tension, and we can discuss any unfavourable draw habits and show you the preferred rest position of your jaw, where your lips are together and your teeth are slightly apart. We have a number of different treatment appliances including bespoke night guards. These can potentially reduce and redistribute the force placed on your teeth and protect your precious tooth structure from wear.