You’re currently planning on getting dental implants to fill in the gaps left by missing teeth. However, you’ve recently discovered that you’re suffering from bruxism, which is causing you to grind your teeth at night. Could this stop you from having implant posts placed? To help you make the best decision for revitalizing your smile, your dentist is here to explain how bruxism could affect your ability to get dental implants.
Bruxism and Dental Implants
The frequent grinding and clenching caused by bruxism can put a significant amount of pressure on natural teeth and implant posts alike. Unfortunately, this can cause major problems in the days following your dental implant surgery. The implant posts have to form a strong bond with the jawbone, but they need to avoid unwanted movements in order to do so. Thus, if bruxism goes untreated, the implant posts might never join with the jaw, causing them to fail.
On top of that, the pressures of grinding and clenching could eventually break the implant posts. The crown, bridge, or denture anchored to the posts could also be damaged.
Can You Still Get Dental Implants Even If You Have Bruxism?
Candidacy for dental implants is decided on a case-by-case basis. Even if you have bruxism, your dentist may still determine that dental implants are potentially a good choice for rebuilding your smile. That being said, steps need to be taken to address your bruxism in order to minimize the chances of dental implant failure.
What Can You Do About Bruxism?
Bruxism can strike while you’re awake or asleep. During the day, it’s important to be aware of what your jaw is doing. If you catch yourself grinding or clenching your teeth, try to relax and keep your jaw in its proper position. Also, it may help to take up yoga and other activities that can relieve the stress that might be contributing to your bruxism.
Of course, it’s much harder to stop yourself from grinding or clenching your teeth while you’re asleep. In order to keep your teeth and your dental implants safe, you should wear a nightguard. It will reduce the harmful impact that bruxism can have on your smile by stopping the upper and lower rows of teeth from coming in direct contact with each other.
You don’t need to let bruxism stop you from enjoying the benefits of implant-supported new teeth. Set up an appointment with your dentist to discuss what steps you can take to get your condition under control and improve your dental implant candidacy.
About the Author
Dr. Diana Vazquez attended the Baylor College of Dentistry, and she holds membership with the Hispanic Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, and other organizations. Her practice, Soleil Dental of Mesquite, offers in-house dental implant placement as well as nightguards for bruxism. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Vazquez, visit her website or call (972) 288-3200.