Everyone Clenches Their Teeth

In over 25 years of practicing dentistry in Flagstaff, I have noticed a huge rise in the incidence of TMJ (temporal mandibular joint) pain. I suppose this is due to the fact that life is overall more stressful and people are clenching their teeth in response (this it is just my casual observation). People may have pain in their jaw for many reasons.  It usually stems either from the joint itself or from the muscles associated with it. So how can we combat this inevitable jaw-clenching pain? What can the world of dentistry offer in terms or relief?

One of the best ways to avoid TMJ pain is by wearing a night guard (a.k.a. an occlusal guard) at night. A guard works by keeping your muscles of mastication (chewing jaw muscles) from tensing up and activating during sleep. A hard acrylic night guard reduces the amount of force these muscles exert and diminishes the tension in one's jaw muscles. There is often some immediate relief from TMJ pain by simply wearing this custom made dental appliance to bed at night.

It is important to know that the rubbery guard for sale at your local Flagstaff Wal-Mart often does more harm than good. The $12 price is low but it is actually worse than doing nothing at all to treat TMJ symptoms. The reason for this is that the "squishy" or soft mouth guard (although good for protection while playing sports) is a huge muscle worker during the night and can lead to a very sore jaw muscle in the morning. The pliable material actually encourages the jaw muscles to work and clench even harder. This disallows the jaw to relax and rest when it needs it the most.

For acute jaw pain we have recently been helping patients with laser therapy, which sends a deep relaxing heat into the muscle. The laser can give relief to sore muscles in a matter of minutes. Sometimes we may refer you to see a TMJ specialist.  There are none in Flagstaff but if need be there are a few down south.
Night guards also prevent wear on teeth and protect them over the long term from grinding at night. If teeth wear through the enamel, they can become extremely sensitive and become costly to restore.

When considering a night guard, how much should a TMJ splint (night guard) really cost in Flagstaff, AZ?

The cost at our office as of this publishing is $600. Our guards are custom made, of the highest quality, and guaranteed. We make sure each guard is perfectly adjusted to the bite of each patient. 

To read more about this, visit us at our website flagstaffdentist.comflagstaffdentist.com.  

Teeth Whitening in Flagstaff AZ - FBN Edit

How it works:
Carbamide Peroxide is the main ingredient in almost all teeth whitening systems. When mixed with water, the compound Hydrogen Peroxide is released. Hydrogen Peroxide is the active ingredient that causes teeth whitening. This method has been found by the FDA and the ADA to do no damage to or weaken the tooth structure.

There are six major methods of which to choose from when considering teeth whitening:

1. Get your teeth polished.  Always have the coffee/tea stain professionally cleaned off your teeth before deciding on whether or not you need to bleach your teeth!
2. Zoom Whitening -  A very strong concentration of bleach is placed on the teeth. A strong light is then shone on the teeth with the bleach solution.  This is reapplied 3 times over the course of an hour.  Dr. Bacon had this unit for a short time in his Flagstaff dental office.  It caused so much post bleach pain that patients needed medication to get through the next 24 hours.  Needless to say we stopped using this technique. Interestingly, research has since shown the light had no effect on the bleaching. Some patients still prefer this method as it often requires a single visit to the office to achieve the desired results.

3. Laser Whitening - For immediate results a strong bleaching gel activated by a laser light may be used.  Flagstaff Downtown Dental uses the Laserwhite20 gel in conjunction with a 940nm wavelength laser light. The entire process takes less than an hour.  We have found significantly less sensitivity with the laser whitening as opposed to the zoom. For those wanting the immediate results in a single visit, we would highly recommend this method over the Zoom Whitening process.

4. Whitening Toothpaste - Toothpaste with a whitening ingredient has been shown to have little to no effect on achieving a whiter smile.  This is because the whitening ingredients interact with the teeth for such a short amount of time and are not able to soak in. Some toothpastes will whiten by abrasion.  Although it can remove superficial stains, over time the abrasion may wear down the enamel and damage teeth. It is best and safest to have superficial stains periodically removed by a dental hygienist.

5. Whitening Strips - This is a way to whiten teeth at home.  The major disadvantage to this method is the strips adhere better towards the edge of the teeth than by the gum line. Consequently, sometimes teeth don't bleach as well by the gum line.
6. Custom Trays - An effective way to whiten teeth is to have a custom fit tray made at a dental office.  In comparison to other home methods, a custom tray better retains the bleach by the gum line where whitening strips may lack adhesion. Just 30-45 minutes a day for 4 or 5 days helps acquire the desired look. Custom trays also give patients the ability to use a desensitizing gel after whitening. If sensitivity does occur after bleaching, it can often be quickly relieved with this method. To make the custom trays, impressions of the teeth can be made in a few minutes and turned into a custom tray within a day.  Because you can reuse your tray for years to come, custom trays are less expensive over time than whitening strips!

Fun Facts:  
-Dental materials such as porcelain crowns and fillings do not change color and may not match your bleached teeth after treatment.  This is a serious consideration prior to whitening.
-Whitening through different forms of Hydrogen Peroxide has a history of over 25 years and has not been found to increase tooth decay or to "weaken" teeth. 
-All forms of bleaching may cause some sensitivity. Desensitizing gel may be used after bleaching to helpful after whitening treatment.
-It is not always possible to get the desired whitening effect through the different forms of bleaching.  In such cases an alternative is porcelain veneers.

For more information on whitening, you can read more at our Flagstaff Downtown Dental office's website, .click here or call us at (928) 774-1168.