Bruxism is a condition which causes the affected individual to grind, gnash or clench their teeth without awareness while awake or when they are sleeping.
Teeth grinding is a condition frequently related to stress or anxiety. It is also associated with obstructive sleep syndrome, antidepressant medications (such as paroxetine, fluoxetine and sertraline), excessive alcohol consumption or caffeine intake, smoking or use of recreational drugs.
Teeth grinding can affect sleep, cause facial pain, earache, headaches as well as pain and stiffness in the jaw joint. It can also lead to worn down, sensitive or broken teeth.
At our clinic we treat teeth grinding using Botox injections. These are administered into the masseter muscles (the muscles responsible for enabling chewing and clenching of the jaw). Within days following Botox treatment these muscles will have been sufficiently weakened to prevent teeth grinding whilst enabling other necessary functions (i.e. chewing food). Typically, reinjection is required between 3 and 12 months after initial treatment.