Face 
Dentistry 
The 21st – 28th October marks Bruxism Awareness week and at Evolve Dentistry we want to ensure that you all have an in-depth understanding of the condition known as Bruxism along with its causes, effects, and how you could look to overcome it. Bruxism is the clinical term for subconscious teeth grinding and jaw clenching during the day and/or night.
Bruxism is not the type of condition to occur out of the blue. There are some reasons which could be causing you to grind your teeth and you may not even realise it.If you suffer from a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnoea, or even simply snoring, you’re more likely to grind your teeth while sleeping. Other sleep-related issues which promote restlessness or possibly even trouble breathing while asleep could also cause this to happen, such as talking in your sleep, increased movement like kicking, sleep paralysis or even semi-conscious hallucinations.
Anxiety and stress are the most common causes for bruxism, or teeth grinding, with around 70% of cases occurring as a result of this. Stress and anxiety will often impact your quality of sleep, particularly when job-related, therefore bruxism will likely take place while asleep.
There is also evidence to suggest that certain lifestyle aspects could cause you to begin subconscious teeth grinding and jaw clenching. Drinking alcohol, smoking and use of recreational drugs, and excessive drinking of liquids with high caffeine levels could all increase the possibility of teeth grinding. These factors may also lead to the condition worsening.
What to look out for:The impact of bruxism can be problematic for both your oral and physical health. As it’s a condition that is difficult to identify – mainly as many aren’t even aware that they are even grinding their teeth in the first place – it’s important to know what to look out for.
Regarding oral health, bruxism could lead to significant wearing down of teeth, which will inevitably result in the teeth fracturing, or tooth loss. There is also a possibility of developing inflammation in the gums, and eventual gum recession.
What many don’t realise, is that there are multiple physical issues that can occur as a result of teeth grinding. Sufferers may be more prone to headaches, pain and stiffness in the shoulders and earache. There is also the possibility of facial myalgia (pain in the face), as well as limited movement of the mouth, and further disruption to your sleeping pattern,
Risk of TMJ
Temporomandibular joint discomfort or TMJD, is also a common outcome of bruxism. The temporomandibular joint is the connecting joint between the jaw and the skull. Excessive teeth grinding and jaw clenching could lead to a severe amount of tenderness in this joint or even lock-jaw. You may also experience a grating sensation or even a clicking sound when moving your mouth. The joint is covered by cartilage and separated by a shock-absorbing disk, overtime; however, this cartilage could become damaged, and the disc eroded. If pain associated with TMJ becomes persistent, consult with a doctor or dentist as soon as possible to find a suitable solution.
There are some treatments available to tackle the causes and effects of bruxism, from orthodontic work to psychological treatments like hypnosis. MADs, or mandibular advancement devices, are typically used to help combat issues with snoring and sleep apnoea; however, they can also be an effective tool at tackling teeth grinding and clenching while sleeping.
Dr Jonathan Sproson, one of our dentists at Evolve has extensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of bruxism. He can carry out a detailed assessment of your jaw muscles and position of your teeth to see if there is evidence of bruxism and how best to treat this. Over the years, he has successfully treated hundreds of patients to rid them of their headaches, neck and shoulder pain and to massively improve their quality of life. There are few dentists in this area with as much skill and knowledge as Jonathan Sproson.
For more information on bruxism and its impact on your oral and physical health, take a look at the Bruxism Association web page. If any of the causes and effects mentioned here seem familiar, contact Evolve Dentistry today to see if you suffer from this condition, before it leads to more serious issues such as TMJ. Our team would be happy to help find the ideal solution to overcome the effects of Bruxism.
🍰 Come and join us today! 💚
Our Macmillan Coffee Morning is in full swing at Evolve Dentistry, and we’d love to see you!
We’ve got plenty of delicious homemade cakes waiting for you, so pop in, say hello, grab a slice (or two!) and help us raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.
We’ll be serving cakes right through until 5pm today, so there’s still plenty of time to come down.
📍 Evolve Dentistry, Portishead
🍰 Cakes until 5pm
💚 Everyone is welcome
Come hungry! 😋
#MacmillanCoffeeMorning #MacmillanCancerSupport #Portishead #PortisheadCommunity #EvolveDentistry
🍰☕ Today’s the day - and there’s cake! 💚
Our Macmillan Coffee Morning is happening TODAY at Evolve Dentistry and we’d love you to come and join us.
The Evolve team have been busy baking (and possibly buying… we won’t judge! 😉) and there’ll be plenty of cake and drinks available throughout the day, all in support of Macmillan Cancer Support.
And remember - you don’t need to be an Evolve patient to come along.
If you live or work in Portishead, are passing by, or just fancy an excellent excuse for cake, pop in and see us. Bring a friend, your family or your workmates too!
📍 Evolve Dentistry, Portishead
🍰 Cake and drinks throughout the day
💚 Donations for Macmillan Cancer Support
👋 Everyone welcome
No appointment needed - just pop in!
Come and help us eat an unreasonable amount of cake for a very good cause. 💚
Please share so we can get as many people through the doors as possible!
Do I have to replace a missing tooth?
If you`ve lost a tooth, do you have to replace it?
Not necessarily.
And that`s an important starting point.
What happens next depends on which tooth is missing, your mouth, how you bite, how you feel about the gap and what`s happening with the teeth around it.
Yasmin explains some of the things we consider when a tooth is missing.
The important thing isn`t assuming you need a particular treatment.
It`s understanding your options - including whether doing nothing could be a reasonable option for you.
Why have my teeth suddenly become sensitive?
That sudden zing when you drink something cold. 🥶
Sound familiar?
Sensitive teeth are common, but there isn`t just one possible cause.
Richard explains some of the reasons teeth can become sensitive and why it`s worth mentioning if you`ve noticed something new.
Sometimes a little sensitivity is exactly that.
But a change that persists is something we`d rather know about than have you quietly avoiding ice cream for the foreseeable future.
Having a tooth removed probably isn`t an appointment anyone particularly looks forward to.
Which is precisely why feedback like this means so much:
“Made getting a tooth extracted incredibly easy and straightforward.”
Good dental care isn`t only about the procedure itself.
It`s about knowing what`s going to happen, being able to ask questions, feeling listened to and being looked after throughout.
Thank you for trusting us with your care - and for taking the time to tell us about your experience.
☕🍰 Join us for our Macmillan Coffee Morning! 💚
On Friday 25 September, the Evolve team will be swapping dental instruments for cake slices as we take part in the Macmillan Coffee Morning!
Our team will be bringing in their best bakes and we’d love you to pop in, enjoy a slice of cake and a drink, and help us raise as much as possible for Macmillan Cancer Support.
💚 Everyone is welcome - you don’t need to be an Evolve patient.
So whether you’re a patient, friend, neighbour, local business or simply passing by, come in and say hello. Bring your friends, family or work colleagues too!
📅 Friday 25 September
📍 Evolve Dentistry, Portishead
🍰 Cakes and drinks available throughout the day
💚 Donations in support of Macmillan Cancer Support
No appointment needed - just pop in!
We’d love to see lots of familiar faces and hopefully meet plenty of new ones too. And, most importantly, eat plenty of cake while raising money for a brilliant cause.
Please share this post and help us spread the word around Portishead. 💚
What can composite bonding actually change?
Composite bonding isn`t about giving everyone the same smile.
It can be used in different ways depending on what someone would like to change.
That might mean adjusting the shape of a tooth, changing proportions, repairing an edge or making a small alteration that helps a smile feel more balanced.
And sometimes bonding isn`t used on its own.
We might combine treatments - perhaps straightening teeth first, whitening them and then using composite bonding to refine particular teeth.
Yasmin explains some of the ways composite bonding can be used.
The important part is deciding what will achieve the result you`re looking for without doing more treatment than is necessary.
