clenching teeth in your sleep?

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#1 Post by **Lisa65** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 6:27 am

I've never knowingly had any problems with clenching or grinding of teeth and despite my weird bite I never noticed any problems other than the visual irregularity of my teeth.

But the last few nights since my last adjustment and getting an elastic to wear on my right molars, I've woken up several times in the night with my teeth clenched tight together and it's the pain of it that's woken me up. When I wake up I of course relax my jaw to ease the pressure and that hurts too, as the pressure comes OFF my teeth.

Has anyone else had tooth grinding or clenching as a result of getting braces or elastics? Would a mouthguard help in the short term? I don't want to be woken up several times each night in pain because my teeth are clamped together so hard.

#2 Post by **jess214** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 8:27 am

I'm the opposite - I'm still learning to get my mouth to close naturally so for the meanwhile, I sleep with my mouth open. Everything gets all dry in the morning. : P

#3 Post by **sportsgrl97** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 8:54 am

although i was a grinder before braces... definantly during elastics it got worse... id wake up thinking that i cracked my tooth when i feel myself bite together real hard and land on only one tooth. i also find myself clenching a lot during the day. i usually bite my lip when i do it and i have been doing it my whole life so i dont really notice it until i specifically check to see if im doing it. it usually happens when im mad or stressed so the common situation. hope this helped

michelle

#4 Post by **ellebee** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 9:13 am

Not only do I clench, last night I managed to severely bite the inside of my cheek in my sleep.

I have to do the blowfish thing to be able to bite together without my cheeks getting in the way.

I was formerly a grinder and I wore a night guard which I loved. I can't wait to get a new one when my braces come off.

Elle

#5 Post by **anotherbraceface** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 1:38 pm

Totally off-topic, but everytime I see your icon I want to tell that mouse to stop brushing so vigorously - he'll erode his gums!!

hah.

No, seriously though, I cringe in horror everytime I see it.

#6 Post by **Lisa65** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 1:45 pm

LOL would you like me to change it?

#7 Post by **finally** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 2:49 pm

[align=center]Since I got my braces I clench my teeth all the time. I imagine it can't be good and I often wonder if it'll make the braces less effective. I think a mouth guard would take care of the problem at night.[/align]

#8 Post by **Tin Indian** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:12 pm

I have been a clencher ie: teeth grinder for years, and have been wearing the enamel down on my frt bottom teeth. That was the first step in getting braces was trying to rid myself of enamel loss and the enormous headaches that went along with it. A month before getting braces I bought a splint from Splintek.com. It has ajustable bite pads that rotate on each side as well as a strap that goes below your bottom brackets that hold it securly in place.It is a Godsend to me as it is very comfortable to wear either with or without braces and very seldom do I get headaches anymore and I can talk with it in .Splintek.com has a very easy to navigate website and I think that was the best $100 bucks I spent on my teeth before braces.

#9 Post by **juf_84** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 8:46 pm

Hi Lisa,

I have that problem too- it's definitely more pronounced after an adjustment or when I am really uncomfortable. For example, I spent 7 hours overnight on a train last week- I slept for all of 40 minutes and woke in agony as my teeth were clenching so badly! It was awful!

I hope your clenching gets better soon!

#10 Post by **NotBob1** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:00 pm

My Ortho supplied me with a nightguard for people in braces. It has a lip, but is flat to allow the movement. I trimmed it a bit to allow for the elastics and it worked great. I am on #2 as I chewed through #1. If anyone is interested, I will follow up and find out what brand it is so you can ask your ortho about it.

#11 Post by **Lisa65** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 6:08 am

Thanks for your input everyone, the last couple of nights I haven't been woken up by painful clenched teeth so I guess the initial discomfort fro the adjustment and the elastic has worn off now.

I'll ask my ortho about a nightguard though next time I see him.

#12 Post by **iBorg** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:26 am

I want the mouse BACK!!!!

Seriously, I'm a grinder and have cracked my teeth on more than one occasion. My ortho fixed me up with a bite plate a bit sooner than she wanted because I was really grinding with just my top wired.

I'd talk to my ortho about the problem as soon as you can. As I understand it the metal brackets will deform before they damage teeth. Ceramics will damage teeth before they deform.

Mike

#13 Post by **cbushnaq** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:09 am

Hi NotBob1,
I would like to know what type of mouthguard you got from your Ortho. I started clenching my teeth after I got braces.

Thanks,
C.

P.S. I spelled your name wrong. Sorry

#14 Post by **cbushnaq** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:09 am

Hi NotBob1,
I would like to know what type of mouthguard you got from your Ortho. I started clenching my teeth after I got braces.

Thanks,
C.

#15 Post by **JumpTheDitch** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:02 am

I think it's more a case of being more aware of what's going on in my mouth now that I've started to focus on my bite and teeth, rather than having got better or worse since getting braces.

I never really noticed being a clencher or a grinder but grinding in combination with my bite has worn the tops off my lower front teeth and damaged the backs of my uppers (reason for braces in the first place). You think if you ground that much you might notice but apparently not!

I never paid any attention to my jaw clicking and popping either. I was aware of it happening, but didn't question whether it should be happening or not.. Apparently its not

.

Before braces I used to wake up to find my tongue all "crinkle-cut" round the edges from my teeth. Really quite disgusting. It's not so much the grinding that I hate but the clenching of all my tongue/mouth/cheeks. Now that my bite's improved I don't get the crinkley-edged-tongue so much but often have to peel the insides of my lips and cheeks off the braces when I first wake up.

Am wondering whether I should be looking at something for the grinding I guess but not really sure what to be asking for, or whether I should be asking the Ortho or the dentist!