Bruxism is an oral condition in which sufferers grind or clench their teeth. In mild cases, no treatment is required for most people. However, in extreme cases, treatment is necessary to prevent further damage in the person’s well being and health. Some of the symptoms of bruxism are headaches, depression and jaw pain. Currently, no one knows what causes bruxism but it is commonly known that stress is a major factor. Some of the different method for bruxism treatment are mouth guards, Botox and the use of biofeedback devices.

Mouth Guard

The use of a bruxism mouth guard is one of the different types of bruxism treatment. In order to prevent the teeth grinding damaging the teeth and gums, it should be worn each night or whenever the sufferer goes to sleep, in extreme case, this can be either in the day or night. The bruxism mouth guard can be custom made by a dentist or even be purchased from a local store or pharmacy. If the mouth guard is purchased through your dentist, the cost may be around $500 or less. However, wearing a bruxism mouth guard is not a cure for bruxism, it is only used to prevent further damage.

Botox

Another common bruxism treatment is believe it or not, Botox. It is a common fact that Botox is used in cosmetic surgery to enable people to reduce the signs of aging by reducing wrinkles and making the person look younger. However, when Botox is injected into the jaw muscles of the bruxism sufferer, it weakens these muscles so as to prevent the person from grinding their teeth. To reap maximum benefits in this method, both jaw muscles must be injected. This bruxism treatment may last up to three months before it needs to be repeated again by a physician. This particular treatment is the most costly but it may be covered under your health insurance.

Biofeedback device

Another form of treatment of bruxism is the use of a biofeedback device. When these devices were initially created, they were battery powered headbands that were place on a person’s head during their sleep and will sound an alarm whenever the person began to tighten their jaw. Over the years as technology in this area developed, several different types of this device begin to appear in the market. The latest version actually force the user to breathe through their mouth instead of their nose when they begin to clench their teeth at night. Many bruxism sufferers have had some success with this treatment.

If any of these bruxism treatments is used correctly, it should help to alleviate and reduce some of the pain and symptoms that are caused by bruxism. To further assist in the treatment process, a bruxism sufferer should also try to determine the reason behind the bruxism cause.

It is also highly recommended that meditation and relaxation methods be used each night before bedtime if stress is a reoccurring problem. If a person continues to have severe bruxism symptoms, then they may need to visit a physician to discuss surgery options but bruxism surgery is always the last option.

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