What is child bruxism?

It is an abnormal movement of the chewing muscles (which help to chew); it is the habit of clenching and grinding your teeth. This movement can be unconscious or conscious; typically appears at night, although there are children presenting it during the day. If bruxism is nocturnal, it is an unconscious movement. There are different types of bruxism:

• Bruxism central: the child clenches his teeth strongly when sleeping
• Bruxism eccentric: the child makes an abnormal movement of the teeth that causes "teeth grinding"

Causes

It is frequent that it appears during the milk teething and the period of change of milk teeth and permanent teeth. exist various theories about the cause of bruxism but it seems that the most frequent predisposing factor is abnormal contact between upper and lower arch teeth.

The triggers of bruxism are mainly: stress, the type of teeth and the position during sleep. It seems that the emotional or psychological aspects They have an important influence on the appearance of bruxism, especially stress and anxiety.

Symptoms

Bruxism night It is produced by the rhythmic, repetitive and violent contraction of the chewing muscles (the masseters) resulting in a grinding audible to the parents. Bruxism is more intense in early stages of sleep and ceases when sleep is deepest.

The gnashing of teeth produces a dental wear and, in very extreme cases, dental fractures. In children bruxism does not usually cause more problems, but in children teens or adults It can cause pain in the muscles of the face and neck. Tooth wear caused by bruxism leads to loss of enamel and exposure of dentin on the surface. This can lead to increased tooth sensitivity to hot or cold foods.

Treatment

Bruxism, being an involuntary act, cannot be prevented. Treatment is based on different aspects:

• Selective grinding or occlusal adjustment: if the malposition of the teeth is slight, small selective grinding adjustments are made to eliminate those contact points between teeth that favor bruxism
• Discharge splint: it is a rigid, horseshoe-shaped appliance that fits perfectly to the teeth and is placed at night to avoid tooth wear and reduce muscle overload that can cause pain
• orthodontics: in the event that dental deformities require it
• Physiotherapy: muscle exercises to help you relax and decrease pain
• Repair of damage caused by tooth wear using dental composites (special material to restore damage to the tooth surface)
• Psychological help if it is related to an anxiety or emotional problem

In children it disappears over time, although some people can suffer it until adulthood, so it is important when the first signs are detected.