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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Dental Problems
Do You Hear Your Child Grinding His/Her Teeth at Night?
Bruxism (Grinding) of the Teeth
Bruxism is the grinding or
clenching of teeth, most often at night. Teeth grinding isn't
something most people are aware they are doing. Most parents only
become aware that their child is a "bruxer" when their dentist notices signs of
tooth wear, fracture of part of a tooth or filling, or damage to the
jaw joint (TMJ Joint) caused by the disorder. As many as 80-90 % of
young children brux their teeth at night, girls often brux more than boys.
Children usually grow out of this bruxing problem by age ten without
causing any permanent damage to their teeth. Bruxism in young
children does not mean that damage is occurring to his/her teeth or
that dental problems will occur later in life.
Nocturnal teeth grinding (bruxism) is one of the most common sleep disorders
in America.
Thirty to forty million Americans brux on a nightly basis. The
exact reason for nighttime grinding is not clear, but possible
reasons for childhood bruxing include genetics, stress, allergy, ear infection, or growing pains. The only directly related cause known for bruxing is that children
with a combination of allergies and severely restricted airways will
brux.
If your child has baby teeth, we usually do not recommend any treatment for bruxism because all the primary teeth will fall out over the course of dental development. There is also the concern of a nightguard coming loose and a young child possibly choking on the dislodged nightguard. There is also the cost of replacement of a nightguard as new teeth come into a child's mouth causing the previous nightguard to not fit. As your child develops into a permanent dentition, we will monitor his/her changes and recommend a nightguard if needed when the dentition is more stable.
As your child gets older, and the permanent teeth erupt, we may recommend a treatment to prevent further damage to the new teeth. In this case, the most common treatment is a custom made nightguard to wear at night. The appliance may need to be changed regularly to accommodate for the changing teeth in children and young adults. Other options include monitoring or referral to a specialist.
Disclaimer
Doctor Haeberlein, Dr. Wang and the other Doctors in the Discovery Dental Group make no warranties, expressed or implied, as to any results to be obtained from use of the information "What should I do in a Dental Emergency." We cannot diagnose or treat patients over the Internet. Information on this site is for educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal, medical, and/or dental attention or diagnosis. Without all available information about a patient, it is impossible to make a diagnosis. Help and answers are in the form of general ideas. Only you, your dentist, and other necessary and qualified health care providers can make an appropriate treatment decision in an emergency or for everyday care and dental treatment.
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