Definition
Bruxism refers to the excessive grinding of teeth by a patient. Common symptoms associated with bruxism include hypersensitive teeth, sore jaw muscles, headaches, tooth wear, damage to dental restorations, and tooth damage. Additional symptoms may include dry mouth, halitosis, hypertrophy of the masseter muscle, and a square jaw or face.
Causes
The exact causes of bruxism are not fully understood but are believed to involve multiple factors. Awake bruxism is thought to have different underlying causes than sleep bruxism.
Solutions
Patients suffering from bruxism may face difficulties when undergoing treatment with clear aligners. It's important for healthcare providers to recognize that bruxism can lead to the aligners pulling away from the teeth on the cheek and tongue sides, reducing their ability to shift teeth effectively. This issue is seen with scalloped aligners, unlike the straight-cut CandidPro aligners which do not have this problem.
Clinicians should remain vigilant for signs of heavy occlusion and bruxism, as these conditions can hinder tooth movement and lead to excessive wear on the aligner's occlusal surface.