Treatment of bruxism in Colombia

The primary cause is usually stress and anxiety, as the body releases tension accumulated during the day by activating the masticatory muscles during sleep. Another frequent cause is malocclusion or dental misalignment, where the teeth do not fit together correctly and the jaw attempts to find a forced resting position. Finally, lifestyle factors such as the consumption of caffeine, alcohol, or sleep disorders like apnea can also trigger this habit.

Understanding the origin of the problem is vital for a comprehensive treatment that not only protects your teeth but also improves your general well-being. In many cases, bruxism is a sign that your nervous system is overloaded or that your bite needs a professional technical adjustment. By addressing these causes from different fronts, we manage to decrease the frequency and intensity of the clenching, protecting your oral health and allowing you to enjoy a much deeper, more restorative rest every night.

The pain from bruxism is not limited just to the teeth; it usually manifests as a dull tension in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), located just in front of the ear. It is very common for patients to confuse this discomfort with an earache or a chronic migraine, as the pain radiates toward the temples and the base of the skull. It is also habitual to feel stiffness or fatigue in the cheeks upon waking, as if you had been chewing something hard all night long.

In addition to facial pain, you may experience discomfort in the neck and shoulders, since the muscular chain is directly connected to head posture. The teeth can also become extremely sensitive to temperature changes due to the loss of protective enamel from constant friction. Identifying these pain points helps us in the clinic determine whether you need an occlusal guard or if the problem requires a jaw physiotherapy approach to relax the affected area.

Ignoring bruxism can lead to serious consequences, the most evident being extreme wear on the teeth, which can eventually fracture or lose significant height. Over time, this affects facial aesthetics, making the face look older due to the collapse of the bite and the loss of lip support. Furthermore, the constant pressure can damage the bone that supports the teeth, causing tooth mobility and even the premature loss of healthy pieces.

At the joint level, untreated bruxism can result in TMJ disorders, characterized by clicking sounds when opening the mouth, jaw locking, and incapacitating headaches. Damage to the articular disc can become chronic, requiring interventions that are far more complex than a simple protective guard. Treating bruxism today ensures that your natural teeth last a lifetime and that your jaw maintains its full functionality without the need for surgeries or extensive rehabilitations.

Although bruxism cannot always be permanently “cured,” it can be controlled with total success through the use of custom-made occlusal guards or stabilization splints. These rigid acrylic plates are placed between the upper and lower teeth to absorb the force of the bite and prevent direct contact between the pieces. This device not only protects the enamel from wear but also reprograms the muscles to relax, significantly reducing facial tension and pain.

Complementarily, it is recommended to adopt sleep hygiene habits, such as reducing screen time and caffeine intake before bed, and practicing relaxation techniques to manage stress. In some cases, if the origin is a bad bite, performing an occlusal adjustment or an orthodontic treatment can be the definitive solution to balance the forces. At Odontomurillo, we will guide you in adopting these measures, ensuring that your treatment is comfortable, effective, and adapts perfectly to your lifestyle.

Having bruxism does not prevent you from undergoing orthodontic treatment; in fact, in many cases, correctly aligning the teeth helps reduce the intensity of the clenching by improving the bite. However, it requires closer monitoring, as the pressure from bruxism can dislodge brackets more frequently or slightly delay certain dental movements. The orthodontist will use specific techniques to protect the appliances and ensure that the movement of the roots is safe and steady.

During treatment, we usually place composite resin bite turbos on the posterior teeth to prevent them from clashing with each other and damaging the pieces or the appliances. Once the orthodontics is complete, the use of retainers that also fulfill a protective function against bruxism is imperative to keep the new alignment stable. It is an excellent opportunity to correct the mechanical cause of the problem while transforming your dental aesthetics, achieving a result that is both functional and visually flawless.

In children, bruxism is usually a normal stage of development related to the growth of facial bones and the transition from baby teeth to permanent teeth. In most cases, it disappears on its own before adolescence and does not require aggressive treatment with splints, unless the wear is very severe. It is essential to observe if the child has respiratory problems, such as enlarged tonsils or allergies, since difficulty breathing during sleep is often linked to teeth grinding.

To help them, it is recommended to establish calm bedtime routines that lower activity levels before going to bed, avoiding intense games or exciting digital content. It is also helpful to ensure proper hydration and consult with a pediatrician if there is a suspicion of intestinal parasites or vitamin deficiencies, which are sometimes associated with this habit. At Odontomurillo, we perform preventive pediatric check-ups to monitor that the wear does not affect the permanent dentition, providing peace of mind to parents during this growth process.