Tooth Grinding and Braces

[iBorg]

I'm a mid 40's male. I had braces as a senior in high school-sophomore college. I can't say it was a good experience. I did not follow through treatment and wear a retainer as told to. One result from that treatment was a canine that was damaged to the extent that a root canal had to be performed to remove a cavity formed under or near the band. My teeth aren't perfect but they are a whole lot better than before treatment.

During the past 10-15 years I developed quite a tooth-grinding problem. I finally found a dentist that recognized the problem and fitted splints over both upper and lower teeth. They were a Godsend as my headaches have all but disappeared. Now she has suggested bonding and bite realignment to correct the damage from the grinding. A previous dentist would grind down the chips but never tried to solve the problem.

Overall my bite isn't perfect, which my current dentist believes is a major cause of my grinding. She has suggested bonding ALL of my upper and lower teeth between the canines and realigning my bite. Does this sound reasonable or should I consider another round of ortho work to modify my bite and eliminate the grinding?

Thanks,

Mike

[rsprouse]

Correcting the plane of occlusion and restoring the vertical dimension are often used in treatment to correct bite issues and their side effects (headaches, bruxism, etc). Using orthodontics is the main way this is accomplished and accenting it with bonding is perfectly acceptable. Please note that often times bonding on anterior teeth in cases like this may not last if your bite is not properly fixed. But it is a simple and non-invasive procedure and is a good start. If it doesn't work then you can always seek more in depth treatment (ie - long term braces)

Good Luck,
Rory