Teeth grinding (bruxism) and clenching involve the involuntary or habitual grinding of teeth and/or the tight holding together of the upper and lower teeth.

This can occur during the day (awake bruxism) or, more commonly, at night during sleep (sleep bruxism).

Causes may include:

• Stress and anxiety
• Sleep disorders
• Misaligned teeth or jaw (malocclusion)
• Certain medications (e.g., antidepressants)
• Lifestyle factors (e.g., caffeine, alcohol)

As teeth grinding is often worse at night, it can be quite a difficult habit to break without intervention.

Grinding your teeth is not just an annoying habit. It can also lead to a range of associated problems, including:

• Dental Damage: Wear, flattening, chipping, and even fracturing of teeth. This can lead to increased sensitivity and pain. Many patients are informed by their dentists that they are grinding their teeth,
• Jaw Pain and Stiffness: Soreness and tightness in the jaw muscles, especially the masseter muscles (the large muscles used for chewing).
• Headaches, Migraine and Earache: Tension in the jaw muscles can radiate to the head and ears, causing pain.
• Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMJ/TMD): Bruxism can contribute to pain and dysfunction in the temporomandibular joint, which connects the jawbone to the skull. Symptoms can include clicking, popping, and locking of the jaw.
• Disturbed Sleep: Nighttime grinding can disturb sleep for both the individual and their sleep partner.
• Muscle Fatigue: Constant muscle activity can lead to fatigue and discomfort in the facial muscles.
• Tongue and Cheek Damage: Some individuals may bite their tongue or cheeks during grinding.
• Enlarged Jaw Muscles (Masseter Hypertrophy): Over time, excessive use of the jaw muscles can cause them to become larger, leading to a widened or more square-shaped jawline.

Dentists will typically recommend appliances to be worn at night. Nightguards or mouthguards are custom-fitted acrylic appliances worn over the teeth at night to protect them from grinding forces and cushion the jaw joint.

They may also identify bite misalignment and offer correction with orthodontics (braces) to improve the alignment of the teeth.

Other options that may be suggested include stress management technique (e.g. relaxation exercises, meditation, or therapy) or behavioural therapy (techniques to improve awareness of clenching).

Medications such as muscle relaxants or pain relievers may be prescribed in some cases, but these are usually short-term solutions.

Botox is a neurotoxin which works to relax muscle movement. It is best known for its use in anti-ageing treatments for the upper face (i.e. reducing the appearance of laughter lines and forehead wrinkles) but there are a host of medical applications as well, including migraine, excessive sweating and teeth grinding. These are advanced procedures, available with top clinics, doctors and surgeons, who have additional training in order to offer medical treatments.

Botox Treatment:

Botox (botulinum toxin type A) is a neurotoxin that, when injected in small, controlled doses, can temporarily paralyse or weaken specific muscles by blocking the nerve signals that cause muscle contractions.

When treating teeth grinding and clenching, Botox is primarily injected into the overactive jaw muscles – masseter muscles, and sometimes the temporalis and frontalis muscles – which are the major muscles responsible for jaw movement and clenching.

This reduction in muscle activity can lead to significant relief from jaw pain, headaches, and discomfort associated with bruxism. In addition, by lessening the grinding forces, Botox can help protect teeth from further wear and damage.

Over time, some patients may find that they require less frequent treatments as the muscles may weaken slightly. It can also help to break the habit.