Bruxism Treatments
Teeth Grinding dental consultation in northeast New York
Bruxism is an oral parafunctional activity that commonly occurs in most people at some point in their lives. The two main characteristics of this condition are grinding of the teeth and clenching of the jaw. These actions usually occur during a person’s sleeping hours, but occasionally they occur during the day.
Bruxism is one of the most common known sleep disorders. Chewing is a neuromuscular activity controlled by a subconscious process, but more highly controlled by the brain. During sleep, the subconscious process may become active, while the higher control is inactive (asleep), resulting in bruxism. The most common symptoms are earaches, headaches, depression, eating disorders, anxiety, and chronic stress.
A BiteStrip® is a device available through our office used to diagnose bruxism at home. The device itself is a small electromyography, which can sense and monitor activity in the jaw muscles during sleep. The frequency and severity of the condition can then be assessed and a plan of treatment can be determined.
Why should I seek treatment for Bruxism?
- Gum recession. Bruxism is a leading cause of gum recession and tooth loss. Grinding can damage the soft tissue directly and lead to loose teeth and deep pockets where bacteria are able to colonize and decay the supporting bone.
- Facial pain. Grinding can eventually shorten and blunt the teeth. This can lead to muscle pain in the myofascial region and in severe cases, incapacitating headaches.
- Occlusal trauma. The abnormal wear patterns on the occlusal (chewing) surfaces of the teeth can lead to fractures, which, if left untreated, may require restorative treatment at a later time.
- Arthritis. In the most severe cases, bruxism can eventually lead to painful arthritis in the temporomandibular (TMJ) joints that allow the jaw to open and close smoothly.
Treatment Options
Though there is no known cure for bruxism, there are a variety of devices and services available through our office to help treat bruxism:
- Mouthguards. An acrylic mouthguard can be designed from teeth impressions to minimize the abrasive grinding action during normal sleep. Mouthguards must be worn on a long-term basis to help prevent tooth damage.
- NTI-tss device: This device only covers the front teeth and must be fitted at our office. The idea behind the NTI-tss is to prevent grinding the rear molars by limiting the contraction of the temporalis muscle in the jaw.
- Botox®: Botox® can be injected into the muscles responsible for bruxing by disabling them enough to prevent grinding, but not enough to disrupt normal functions like speaking and chewing.
Once bruxing is under control, we can perform a variety of dental procedures to restore the pleasant aesthetic appearance to your smile such as crown application, gum grafts, and crown lengthening.
The Best Oral Surgeons in Northeast New York!
Call any of our office locations with questions or schedule an online consultation today!
- Carmel NY Carmel NY Office Phone Number 845-278-2101
- Danbury CT Danbury Office Phone Number 203-797-0008
- Hartsdale Hartsdale NY Office Phone Number 914-997-7688
- Mt. Kisco Mt. Kisco NY Office Phone Number 914-486-5600
- Poughkeepsie NY Poughkeepsie NY Office Phone Number 845-452-2900
Northeast Implant & Oral Surgery
Our Latest Patient Testimonials
Dr. Julia Abend DDS is THE BEST DOCTOR!! I had a teeth extraction back in November 2019 and later, in March, I had implant surgery. I received so much information during my consultations with Julia Abend, which made preparation time and post-surgery recovery period much easier for me. I am very happy with the results. The bottom line is – this office is incredibly professional, kind, and informative and oral surgeon Julia Abend is the best doctor that I met in my life. There is no other dentist I would go to or recommend! When you find the best, you keep it! Thank you!
- Inna S
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My experience with Dr. Salas is everything a patient would want to experience with their doctor. He is very patient, professional and has an excellent bedside manner. I was extremely nervous with the biopsies Dr. Salas had to perform. Dr. Salas assured me I would be fine, and I was. He was very gentle, kind and is really concerned with his patients. I cannot thank him enough for all the patience he had with me. I also commend his staff, they were wonderful. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Salas. He has given the confidence and trust we all need in our doctors.
- Marie C
Our Latest Patient Testimonials
For someone who has had bad experiences in the past with dentists/surgeons, the office staff and Dr. Salas made me feel very comfortable and relaxed! I was well informed and they made me feel like I was an actual person and not just "dollar signs"! Answered my questions and even followed up the day after to make sure I was doing ok! Will definately be sending patients their way! Will be definately referring them!
- Lynda M
Our Latest Patient Testimonials
I have know Dr Anthony Cuomo since before 2006. I had my wisdom teeth out two separate times. I have seen Dr Christopher Cuomo...who helped take care of an infection. He was very nice. The whole office is great. The staff is very friendly and they make you feel very comfortable and at ease. I have also seen Dr Miller, who removed a lesion from my lip. He was great and also funny. The whole experience was great and the staff was awesome. There is an assistant named Christine, she is very sweet and kind. I have known her for a very long time and I trust her completely. She knows so much about the dental field and has such a wonderful and friendly personality. I would recommend the office to anyone.
- Nicole G
Our Latest Patient Testimonials
Had surgical procedure yesterday- ( poughkeepsie office) - went very well. Prior to surgery all my questions and concerns were thoughtfully addressed and the procedure was explained to me thoroughly - really helped to lower my anxiety level. Very pleased with Dr Miller and his team.
- Shirley D
Our Latest Patient Testimonials
I want to thank Dr. Hendi, who is in the Poughkeepsie office,for his taking excellent care of my daughter - who needed dental implants. She was quite concerned about this - it meant a lot to her. She loved this doctor! She felt comfortable, secure and knew she was in great hands. She healed well and was checked out by Dr. Kelly Walters afterwards who said “this was a work of art.” Also I sincerely want to thank Jessica - who works in the Connecticut office in billing/insurance. She fought for my daughter, working along with the insurance company to due their part. Thank you Jessica. You were on our side, were easily reachable, respected our concerns and were very understanding. You are in good hands with Northeast Implants!
- Marie G
Our Latest Patient Testimonials
Dr. Salas was one of the best doctors of dentistry we have met. He was completely professional and went through the entire procedure from beginning to end. He talked directly to us and my son who is autistic and full of angst to put all of us at ease. He told us if any problems came up he would stop the procedure and schedule a later date at the local hospital with our son under complete sedation and safety. On day of the removal they took our son in and the nurse stayed to tell us exactly what was going on and then kept us up to date on his progress. The procedure was very quick and when it was over we were taken to our son who was all smiles. He said he had no pain. But his smile was all we had to see. We thank Dr. Salas and the entire staff at Northeast for a wonderful experience for our son. We highly recommend Dr. Salas to any one with a child or adult with challenges.
- Frank F
Our Latest Patient Testimonials
I had my wisdom teeth extracted by Dr. Chris Cuomo and had an extremely positive experience with not only the doctor but the office as well. Typically I dread the dentist but Dr. Chris’ bedside manner made me feel at ease. He advised me on what was best for my situation and informed me of all of my options. Even after my surgery, I was nervous that there was something wrong with the healing process and the office took me in that night to assure me that everything was healing well. If I ever have to have my other two wisdom teeth removed I would without a question go back to Dr. Chris!
- Jaclyn S
Our Latest Patient Testimonials
Great practice, friendly staff, and Dr. Chris was awesome. Absolutely no pain and great overall experience.
- Milt H
