The undesirable habit of teeth grinding can cause various damages, such as tooth wear and headaches, and it can also affect the temporomandibular joint.
Bruxism is the malfunction whereby the patient, often unaware, clenches or grinds their upper and lower teeth together. It is a very common disorder observed both during the day and during nighttime sleep.
Often, patients recognize the problem of grinding either because they perceive it when they clench their teeth during the day or from the noise of teeth grinding at night. However, research has shown that about 80% of grinding episodes do not produce sound. This means that a large portion of the population may not be aware that they grind their teeth.
Another indicative sign of grinding is characteristic abrasion on the cutting and chewing surfaces of the teeth, which dentists can identify during a clinical examination. Typically, grinders exhibit these characteristic abrasions, but they are not always present.