Dental implants can help nearly anyone with tooth loss, as their ten-year success rate is as high as 98%. That said, prospective patients should note whether they suffer from bruxism. Teeth grinding and dental implants have a very poor relationship, with the former often causing implant failure. You’ll need to manage any tendency to grind your smile to ensure treatment results. If you’d like more details, let your Marietta oral surgeon explain things further!
What Exactly is “Teeth Grinding?”
Also known as bruxism, teeth grinding is the habit of frequently grinding your teeth. It’s most often caused by high stress and anxiety that prompts tension in the jaws. At the same time, this condition can result from dental misalignments, missing teeth, and other factors.
Grinding your teeth tends to be bad for your oral health. Because the habit puts a lot of pressure on your teeth, it wears down and thins your enamel over time. Bruxism also tends to occur while you sleep, so it’s rather hard to control without professional help.
Why is Teeth Grinding Bad for Dental Implants?
While dental implants are durable, even they have their innate limits. The bad habit of grinding your teeth can put them at risk and lead to implant failure.
Don’t forget: dental implants must fuse with your jaw to work. If you grind or clench your teeth too much, that fusion process could be delayed or prevented. Worse yet would be if your grinding also damages or breaks the implant with pressure. From there, you’d need a replacement post even if the fusion was still proceeding.
Managing Teeth Grinding & Dental Implants
With the right steps, you can keep your teeth-grinding habit from harming your dental implants. Just remember to do the following:
- Be Mindful – If you don’t already, regularly check to see if you’re clenching your jaw. You can then relax your jaw muscles (as needed) and return them to their proper positions.
- Use a Mouthguard – It’d be a good idea to wear a custom mouthguard while asleep. By doing so, you’d prevent yourself from grinding your teeth.
- Get Strong Implant Posts– Some dental implants use stronger materials like zirconia. If you have the option, get these latter kinds.
- Reduce Your Stress Levels – Practice anti-stress and anti-anxiety tips to avoid unconscious bruxism. For instance, you could regularly stretch, avoid caffeine after dinner, etc.
To better manage teeth grinding and dental implants, please talk to your dental provider. They’ll gladly ensure your tooth replacements aren’t worn out too soon!
About the Practice
Muskingum Valley Oral Surgery is based in Marietta, OH. Led by Dr. Jeff Lee, our practice strives to make every patient’s smile whole, healthy, and strong. We thus offer a wide range of oral surgeries – dental implant placement, tooth extractions, bite corrections, etc. Done with the latest dental technology, these procedures will help your grin thrive for years! For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (740)-236-9392.