Tight jaw: What are the symptoms? What can be done about it?

Clenching of the jaw is often a sign of accumulated stress or deeper oral health problems. This involuntary tension, known as bruxism, can lead to significant pain and more or less serious consequences for the dentition. Studio Dentaire, a practice run by Dr. Hervé Touati since 1999 and located in the heart of the Part-Dieu district of Lyon 3rd arrondissement, provides you here with essential information on jaw clenching and its symptoms, causes and potential consequences.

What is bruxism and what are the signs?

Bruxism, or teeth grinding, is often caused by nervous tension. In some cases, cervical trauma, jaw misalignment or the use of certain medications can cause or intensify the phenomenon. Sufferers will involuntarily clench their jaws and grind or chatter their teeth, both during the day and when asleep. During the day, if the phenomenon occurs during a work session, the performance of a task requiring concentration, or a tense discussion, the subject may not be immediately aware of it, as his or her mind is focused elsewhere. It is usually the appearance of pain in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), headaches or increased muscular tension in the jaw and neck that will bring it to the subject’s attention. In the case of nocturnal bruxism, it’s the pain in the jaws when waking up in the morning or in the middle of the night that often leads to awareness of this unconscious mechanism, when it’s not the spouse, awakened by the grinding, who first realizes it.

What are the consequences of a constantly clenched jaw?

The consequences of untreated bruxism go beyond pain and comfort. Tooth wear (which has aesthetic consequences, but sometimes also affects chewing), mouth opening problems, headaches and back pain are just some of the problems that can arise if the phenomenon becomes established over time.

In the most severe cases, bruxism can lead to a complete blockage of the temporomandibular joint, severely limiting jaw movement and impacting quality of life. It is therefore crucial to consult a specialist as soon as possible once the problem has been identified, in order to avoid these complications.

How can you relieve and treat the pain associated with bruxism… and stop clenching your jaws for good?

If becoming aware that you’re clenching your jaws is the first step, stopping the phenomenon is another. During the day, if the phenomenon has been going on for weeks or months, or if you tend to become aware of it only after several hours of tension, stopping it is not as simple as that and will require, first and foremost, acting on your stress and its origins. At night, if you don’t find a solution, you obviously won’t be able to do anything about it, since the grinding takes place while you’re asleep. In all cases, identifying the causes of bruxism, when it occurs, how long it has been going on, etc. will be necessary before taking action and undertaking treatment. Treating bruxism therefore requires a holistic approach. When you visit your dentist, he or she may suggest that you wear an anti-bruxism mouthpiece. Worn for a few hours a day (at times, day or night, when you usually clench your jaws), it helps relax jaw muscles, prevent tooth wear and significantly reduce pain. Over the course of days and weeks, you’ll regain a better balance between your jaws and get used to not clenching them again, thus stopping the phenomenon which, let’s not forget, is an unconscious mechanism. This solution will be effective in the long term if, at the same time, you work on the origins of your stress. And in the event of a relapse, there’s no need to worry: anti-bruxism aligners, custom-designed in flexible, transparent resin, can be worn for three to five years. In cases where repeated teeth grinding has had aesthetic or functional consequences (the effect of filed teeth, pronounced wear of the occlusal surface used for chewing), complementary treatments can be offered in the office, such as ceramic veneers or overlays. All these treatments are available at Studio Dentaire in Lyon 3rd district. After a thorough examination and a detailed health questionnaire to identify the precise causes, extent and consequences of the phenomenon, our dentists will offer you a tailor-made treatment program and long-term follow-up so that you can return to smiling for good.