Waking up with an aching jaw? Does your partner hear you grinding your teeth at night? It could be bruxism: involuntary activity of the chewing muscles that clenches or rubs the teeth, especially during sleep.
Why it happens
Bruxism is multifactorial: stress and emotional load play an important role, together with sleep-related factors. It is not a disease of the teeth as such — but it discharges considerable, repeated forces onto them.
Signs not to ignore
- Teeth that look flattened, chipped or sensitive without other causes
- Pain or stiffness in the jaw muscles on waking
- Temporal headaches
- Clicking or discomfort at the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
- Marks on the tongue or inside the cheeks
What we can do
- Diagnosis: clinical examination of occlusion, muscles and TMJ. Dr. Massimo Ferrara trained specifically in gnathology (Roth-Williams school on functional occlusion disorders).
- Custom night guard: a rigid splint built on the digital impression of your arches (intraoral scanner, no pastes) that protects enamel and rebalances loads.
- Monitoring: periodic checks on wear and comfort, with adjustments where needed.
- Stress management: where appropriate, we suggest pairing sleep-hygiene and stress-management strategies — the guard protects the teeth, it does not remove the cause.
Bruxism in children
Little ones can grind too: it is often transient and growth-related, but should be monitored at periodic visits, especially if wear or pain appears.
If you recognise these signs, don't let your enamel pay the bill: a gnathological examination clarifies the picture and, if needed, the guard is ready in a few days.
Sources
- WHO, Global Oral Health Status Report, 2022 — oral health as part of overall wellbeing.
- WHO, Oral health fact sheet — protecting enamel and periodontal tissues as the basis of prevention.
- Gnathology training: Center for Functional Occlusion, Roth-Williams school (completed by Dr. Massimo Ferrara, as per bio).