Teeth grinding and TMJ disorders

Why there is rarely one single cause

Many people go through phases in life when they grind or clench their teeth. Specialists call this bruxism. It is not a disease but an unconscious behaviour. During the day it often goes unnoticed, and during sleep you usually do not notice it at all. Stress, smoking, alcohol, too much caffeine or certain medicines can make it more likely. The teeth are not the cause. They take the damage and need protection. That is why we act at the first signs: wear on the teeth, tense chewing muscles, pain. A custom-fitted occlusal splint protects the teeth and can ease the symptoms. As for the grinding itself, the splint helps at most temporarily, which is why we also look at the triggers.

Symptoms in the jaw joint (TMJ) usually have several causes as well. Typical signs are jaw pain, clicking in the joint and tension reaching into the temples and the neck. Sometimes the mouth opens only with difficulty in the morning. Specialists group such symptoms of the chewing muscles and the jaw joints together as temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Often the chewing muscles are overloaded, for example by grinding and clenching, and less often the joint itself is responsible. Stress, sleep quality and the way each person processes pain usually play an important part. According to current knowledge, tooth position and occlusion, in other words how the teeth are positioned and how they meet when you bite down, play at most a secondary role. It becomes a problem when pain persists for a long time, because it can then take on a life of its own. The good news: most symptoms improve again, often with simple measures. Physiotherapy and an occlusal splint are at the centre of treatment.

Mouthguards for contact sports

In contact sports, a mouthguard substantially lowers the risk of injuries to the teeth and mouth, and without one the risk is roughly twice as high. Here too the basis is a digital scan of your teeth, with no impression at all. The individually made mouthguard sits firmly and interferes little with speaking and breathing, which makes it easier to wear regularly.

Good to know

An individually made occlusal splint that is checked regularly is considered low-risk. It protects the teeth and can ease pain and tension. To be just as open: it does not remove the cause. It works through various mechanisms whose interplay has not been fully explained scientifically. For the same reason, we also do not grind teeth down (occlusal adjustment) to treat TMD or bruxism. There is no evidence that this works. Where needed, we address the triggers themselves, such as constant stress or sleep problems, together with the appropriate speciality.

If pain lasts for months, it can take on a life of its own. The nervous system becomes more sensitive and reports pain even when the original trigger has long since eased. Specialists speak of a pain memory. Protective postures when chewing and speaking can keep the symptoms going as well. That is why it is worth having persistent symptoms assessed early.

Grinding during sleep often occurs together with snoring and pauses in breathing at night. If there are signs of this, we will raise it with you. You can read more on our page about snoring and sleep apnoea treatment.