toothh grinding and clenching

[Flute56]

I have short teeth due to grinding. Years ago a dentist said I needed a mouth guard and got me fitted with one. It was so uncomfortable to sleep with it and it made me clench even more. When I took it out the following morning I culd barely close my mouth because my jaw hurt so much. I clenthed so much with the mouth gard in my mouth that eventually it split. I never got another one and for different other reasons I changed dentists.

I mentioned tooth grinding to my current dentist and he said most of his patients also grind. I was concerned about still grinding so I said I wonder if I need a mouth guard and he said no. This was about years ago and I just accepted it and forgot about it. I nevvere felt any jaw pain or tension so I just thought I had stopped grinding.

Roll forward to a week ago and my jaw has felt uncomfortable and as I bite down I feel tension as if my teeth are too short and its making a clenching feelingnand my jaw does not feel as if it sits at the right angle (feeling too tight). I mentioned this to my dentist who still disagreed that I needed a mouth guard. He said mouth guards can make the situation worsee so he would not recommend them.

Ive seen photographs online of serious grinders wehre peoples teeth are very cracked and jagged. Mine are not like that. I nearly said to the dentist if you do not offer a grinder a mouth guard then they will continue to grind their teeth and wear them down and do you want that on your conience when the patient has asked more than once for a mouth guard.

I dont know what the answer is

I found a soft guard made me clench worse. But my current dentist got me one that’s soft round my teeth but hard on the outside and my jaw pain is much better. This makes me think I’m clenching less. If you are private I’d maybe move to another dentist.
Bite guards don’t really stop you grinding and clenching but stop you wearing your teeth out while you do it.

I am an NHS patient and stopped going private a few years ago. I cannnot afford to attend a private dentist. My dentist is good in all other respects but just will not give me a mouth guard. I dont know what to do I realise the guard will not make me stop clenching etc but will protect my teeth but my dentist says no because it will make me clench more which is what happened when I had one before. I just accepted what my dentist said and what I should have said was if I grind wont it wear my teeth down further. He might say no you are not a sereious grinder. As I said before there are people who have broken teeth as a result. I do not

It might be worth seeing another dentist for a second opinion.

I have had Botox treatment in my masseter muscle to treat jaw clenching and grinding and in combination with a mouth guard it has been life-changing.

I think I will get a second opinion but when I phoned another local surgery they said a second opinion is on a private basis; I am also a bit concerned abut the filling i received a few days ago because the tooth has started stinging. Not all the time but it was stinging a bit about three days ago then when I mentioned it to the dentnst he said use cordysil muth wash. I think the nerve is exposed or something is close to the nerve after the filling. I want to ask for something to be done because I dont thinkk cordysil mouthwash is the answer. Ive been going to my dentist for a few years now and have had treatment before and this is the first time i have had an issue afterwards.

When I complained abut the tooth he gave me an xray and said everything looked fine. He did the usual tapping test and nothing hurt so he said nothing is wrong but he did say the gum around the tooth is a bit red so thats why he suggested the mouthwash.

About 15 years ago I had a dentist who filled a tooth and left decay in it and the tooth started to hurt. I went to an emergency dentist who drilled out the filling and looked at the tooth and told me it was not drilled properly so she took out what was left of the decay and refilled it and it was fine

I had that with a filling and it did settle, my dentist gave me some high fluoride toothpaste to use. I was convinced something was wrong with the filling and it did take a good while to stop being sensitive/unconfortable

I also grind and use a soft mouthguard, usually chew through them once a year

Thanks for your message. It is reassuring to know that my tooth will eventually settle down. I find that if i keep myself busy with activities or even watching something on line it takes my mind off it and I forget about it and dont stress over it.

I had this issue and it was causing my gums to recede also.

My dentist explained that it is because I have a short lower jaw so my teeth struggle to find my natural bite.

The point of the mouthguard was not to protect the teeth it was to train the jaw to reposition itself (both sets of back teeth need to align when I bite instead of the lower jaw sliding forward so the front teeth touch bottom and top).

I believe retraining my jaw has stopped my tooth grinding. I notice it is much better in the day and DH doesn't think I do it at night any more.

I did also have to have gum grafts as the recession was so bad.

I was sent for physio at the dental hospital for TMJ. Before that I was given a soft guard that I chewed right through on the first night. I was then given a hard guard but found that really uncomfortable. Once I’d completed the physio, my dentist capped my worn down teeth. Because they’re so fragile, it’s really taught me to be more mindful about clenching/grinding as I know they’ll fall off if I grind.

I have stopped clenching now. I think it was just the aftermath of the filling. I have a tendancy to over think things and blow things out of proportion. I think there is a name for that. It is some sort of anxiety disorder or something

Can I ask how many times you've had the massater Botox? I've had it a few times to help with clenching pain and loved it. I went today which would be my third time in the last two years and they refused to do it. They said the my massater muscle isn't big enough and it could risk damaging my bite and smile. I'm not in agony but my jaw aches and I get such bad headaches.