Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)

Teeth grinding and clenching teeth, also known as bruxism, is a problem that affects a large percentage of individuals.

Teeth grinding (particularly while asleep) is a common problem with sufferers waking with sore teeth or an aching jaw. Patients with this condition often wear a night guard for teeth, however bruxism can be frequent and severe enough to lead to jaw disorders, headaches, damaged teeth, and other problems.

If you are looking to stop grinding teeth in sleep, our practitioners at the R Clinic can help.

It’s not completely understood what causes bruxism, but it may be due to a combination of physical, psychological, and genetic factors. Anxiety, stress, anger, frustration, or tension can all contribute to bruxism. Teeth grinding may also be a coping strategy or a habit during deep concentration. While sleep bruxism may be a sleep-related chewing activity associated with arousals during sleep.

Other risk factors include medications and recreational drug use, family history of bruxism or mental health disorders, or underlying condition such as Parkinson’s, epilepsy, sleep apnea or ADHD.

At the R Clinic we offer masseter injections which help in the management of teeth grinding by relaxing the jaw muscles associated with teeth grinding. The muscle being treated is the masseter muscle, and as the muscle relaxers weaken the masseter, it relaxes the jaw. This stops the jaw and teeth from involuntarily clenching, reducing symptoms and damage to teeth.

Muscle relaxant (or ‘anti-wrinkle’) injections can be used to successfully treat bruxism and is the same technique used to reduce the squareness of the jawline. Also known as masseter reduction injection or jaw slimming injection.