Custom oral appliances alleviate symptoms caused by a number of conditions, including bruxism, sleep apnea, TMD, and more. Your dentist can fabricate a mouth guard that fits snugly over your teeth, providing maximum protection and comfort. In this article, we’ll explore the value of a custom mouth guard and explore topics such as: Bruxism, or… Read more »
Upper front teeth normally are 20% longer than they are wide. If this length to width ratio is closer to 1:1, the teeth will appear short or boxy and can make the smile appear unbalanced and not symmetrical. The appearance of short teeth is caused mainly by heavy wear, how the gum lays over the… Read more »
Do you clench your teeth for no apparent reason? Many people perform this action subconsciously. Some may do it during stressful situations, while others may only do it during their sleep. Teeth clenching can have detrimental effects on your teeth. Your overall health can also be severely impacted. Breaking the habit while awake is not nearly… Read more »
Are you wearing the enamel off of your front teeth? As teeth get thin from enamel loss, they become translucent. Translucent teeth appear thin around the edges and are white grey in color. Once the outer enamel layers begin to thin, the teeth are more susceptible to injury. There are various explanations for why the teeth… Read more »
As time passes, some dental wear and tear can inevitably happen. As strong as our teeth can be, they still have a difficult job, and regularly experience biting and chewing pressure. What you should be wary of is the effect that poor dental care and habits like teeth grinding can do to your smile. If… Read more »
Smile improvement is something that most of us consider at some point in our lives. With today’s advanced techniques and dental technologies, more people can enjoy cosmetic dentistry when they have bruxism. However, some things can affect your smile’s appearance without you realizing it or can impact the success of your cosmetic dental treatment. For… Read more »
Do you have tooth pain? When it comes to your dental health, things are often more than they seem at first glance. For instance, what seems like a minor tooth stain might actually be a sign of an internal tooth infection. Likewise, what seems like nothing more than a minor toothache could actually be a… Read more »
There is nothing quite like a good night’s sleep to improve your attitude and your outlook on the world. But what happens when you wake up in the morning still feeling exhausted? Few things are as important to your overall health as getting adequate rest each night, which is why anything interfering with your quality… Read more »
At the first sign of a headache, you probably reach for your preferred over the counter pain reliever or try a home remedy. What should you do if you have the headache that won’t go away with medicine? If these facial pains become chronic, you may struggle to determine why. The answer may be a… Read more »
Is there a connection between TMJ and tooth sensitivity? Though TMJ or TM dysfunction centers on your jaw’s joints, one of the many symptoms it can generate is the unconscious habit of grinding your teeth. When left untreated, TMJ disorder and resulting teeth-grinding can cause your teeth to hurt as well as the components of… Read more »
Do you have frequent sore cheeks and temples? Some people experience cheekbone pain and tension in their facial regions after waking up. Sleep is supposed to rejuvenate your mind and body after a long day of work or school. Unfortunately, some people wake up with even more tension and pain. Headaches, dizziness, earaches, and jaw… Read more »
Bruxism, or the constant grinding of your teeth, can be a serious problem when you allow it to continue for too long. It’s true that your teeth and jaws were meant to clench and grind without sustaining damage. But, when there’s no food between them, the intense bite pressure can significantly wear down and damage… Read more »
Do you wake up with jaw or facial pain or suffer from frequent headaches? Does your jaw pop or click when you open your mouth? Has nighttime grinding worn your enamel down or caused damage? If you said yes to any of these, you and your oral health might benefit from bruxism treatment. While not… Read more »
Teeth wearing done due to night time grinding, chronic bruxism Are your teeth are wearing down? Bruxism, clenching or gnashing of teeth is common to everyone. Although everyone has some wear, the amount of structural loss varies dramatically. Tooth on tooth contact and the subsequent loss of tooth structure or volume is called attrition. Tooth… Read more »
Do you understand the hazards of bruxism? It’s easy to ignore the fact that you’re grinding your teeth when you’re stressed or angry. It’s just as easy to miss it when you experience bruxism, which describes consistently grinding your teeth. The trouble with ignoring bruxism is that the persistent friction and grinding can make your… Read more »
Do you get frequent headaches? Headaches are a common malady. One in every eight Americans suffer recurring headaches. According to research, 80 percent of those headaches are caused by muscular tension. But did you know that your tension headache may be coming from your teeth and jaw? Today, we discuss how your teeth can be… Read more »
Do you have heavy tooth wear? You can’t exactly control yourself when you’re asleep. Though this doesn’t usually pose a problem, there are some things you might unconsciously do that could cause harm to your teeth and other oral structures. Bruxism, or the habit of grinding and clenching your teeth, typically affects patients in their… Read more »
If you are one of the millions of people who suffer from jaw joint problems, then clicking or popping jaw joints may be a daily occurrence. For many people, the sensation can be uncomfortable, and perhaps a little disturbing. For others, it may be a barely noticeable annoyance that doesn’t seem to warrant any serious… Read more »
What are the risks of constant clenching? Your teeth resist stress every day by biting and chewing your food. For some people, that pressure is multiplied by constant clenching and grinding. The habit of clenching your teeth may not produce any symptoms. Or it in combination with bruxism may wear down your teeth enough to… Read more »
You might recognize a headache, tense back muscles, and an upset stomach as telltale symptoms of stress and anxiety, but can you recognize how the condition affects your dental health? Stress is considered one common cause of tooth grinding. One of the most common indications of prolonged tension is bruxism, or habitual teeth-grinding, which can… Read more »
Even when patients diligently brush and floss their teeth, certain habits like tooth gnashing can cause significant dental problems. For example, habitually gnashing teeth can wear down a tooth’s natural defenses, leading to a host of dental problems that can destroy your smile. Clinically known as bruxism, habitual teeth grinding is more common than many… Read more »
Did you know that TMD disorder, or TMJ, affects over ten million people in the United States alone? Jaw strain that results in TMJ disorder can lead to a number of uncomfortable symptoms. Without treatment, TMJ disorder may make eating and even yawning difficult. Fortunately, Dr. James Fondriest offers the experience and knowledge necessary to… Read more »
Management of your teeth grinding Our last post explained the basic symptoms and solutions of bruxism, or grinding teeth. In this post, Dr. James Fondriest, a Lake Forest IL dentist specializing in jaw pain, explains how stress contributes to bruxism and outlines steps you can take to control and prevent teeth grinding. Bruxism is a… Read more »
Many people clench and grind their teeth occasionally, which causes little harm. However, frequent teeth grinding, medically called bruxism, can damage teeth and lead to other health complications. Many people suffer from bruxism without even realizing it. Stress, anxiety, an abnormal bite, and misaligned teeth are some reasons people grind and clench their teeth. Because they… Read more »
You may not think that an abnormality in your bite could cause many problems, but the truth is, that a misaligned bite could be a symptom of a more serious problem. TMJ, or temporomandibular joints, refers to the two small joints that attach your lower jaw to your skull, and when these joints do not… Read more »
Unconscious teeth grinding or rubbing the teeth together is very common. It is thought that about 50% of us grind to some degree. Though commonly referred to as a habit, the truth is that sleep bruxism is a chronic condition, and patients who experience it often can’t stop even if they want to. The good… Read more »
How often has this happened to you? You’re sitting down, about to take a bite of your favorite hamburger or piece of sushi, and, as you open your mouth, you hear a familiar popping or clicking sound in your jaw. Even if it doesn’t cause any pain, that loud popping noise can be disconcerting and,… Read more »
Tooth enamel protects our teeth from cavities and injury. In fact, the enamel on your teeth is the hardest substance in the human body. But what is tooth enamel? What happens when our enamel is damaged? In today’s blog, your Lake Forest general dentist, Dr. James Fondriest, explains the importance of tooth enamel.
Do you experience frequent TMJ earaches or a constant ringing in your ears that affects your hearing? Does the pain spread to your face, jaw, or neck or cause frequent headaches? Have over-the-counter pain remedies failed to relieve your pain? While ear infections can cause ear pain, chronic ear pain might be a sign of… Read more »
Many people in America suffer from neck pain and tooth grinding. Over-the-counter pain relievers seem to do little, and the cause of their aches remains a mystery. Constant pains in the neck, head, or face, could be a sign of more serious disorder called TMD or TMJ. Dr. James Fondriest, explains TMJ disorder and… Read more »
TMJ refers to the tempromandibular joints that lay in either side of your face, where the jaw connects to the skull. Nestled within the joint is a cartilage disc that allows for full articulation of the jaw. Healthy TMJ function lets you to open and close your jaw with a smooth gliding motion. Any disruption… Read more »
If you’ve noticed small lines on your teeth, you may have what dentists call craze lines. These web looking imperfections should not be confused with a truly fractured tooth, which is painful. Craze lines are merely hairline cracks in tooth enamel. Though these lines on teeth are cosmetically displeasing, they are not particularly harmful to… Read more »
Do you have the wear and tear of bruxism? Teeth grinding, known clinically as bruxism, is the repeated clenching of the jaw, sometimes causing tooth damage that can ultimately require restorative work. If you already have restorations, you might wonder if your bruxism will damage your new beautiful smile. Today, cosmetic dentist Dr. James Fondriest… Read more »
You may not realize it as you occasionally grind your teeth together, but the habit of doing so could be a potentially serious dental issue. Most people clench their jaws and grit their teeth when under extreme pressure or physical strain, or when experiencing a strong negative emotion, like anger. However, many people chronically grind… Read more »
Have you noticed ongoing jaw pain while yawning? About 15% of Americans suffer from severe facial pain. Over half of patients exhibit symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder, also known as TMJ. TMJ dysfunction disrupts the natural and harmonious movement of the facial bones, muscles, and ligaments. What is TMJ dysfunction or disorder? TMJ stands for… Read more »
Do you grind your teeth at night or find yourself clenching? If you do it chronically, it can cause earaches, chronic TMJ headaches, tingling fingers, and even migraines. Aggressive grinding of teeth is very common and can cause the muscles of the jaw to build up lactic acid and become sore. the temporal muscles are… Read more »
Are your teeth worn down as a result of bruxism? If you have issues with bruxism (also called nighttime grinding) your dentist may have given you a bite guard to wear at night. However your dentist may not have the ability required to repair the effects of bruxism. Dr. James Fondriest, a cosmetic dentist, can… Read more »