Question:
hi i wanted some advice....about two front teeth being filed down
i have been having alot of problems with teeth clenching...the clenching started
wen i was very stressed and depressed due to a throat problem which lasted along time...it turned me into a hyperchondriac constantly worrying about my health. i would constanly clench my back teeth during the day wen feeling anxious....
now i realised that im clenhcing at night as well...as i wake up with head/ear/jaw pain...im trying to get my self outa this habbit...
i have stoped clenching during the day although i do get a urge to do so sometims. however at night the clenching is still an issue im due to get a mouthguard for my bottom teeth.
but im worrying about something which i wanted ur opinion about...
before the stress and depression and clenching habbit...i had my two front teeth filed down about 3 or 4 mm as they were quite long. could the fact that i had my two front teeth filed be the cause of my clennching or am i worrying for no reason?
i cant stop thinking that if the clenching is caused by my two front teeth being filed down i wont be able to stop this habbit as my teeth wont go back to how they were.
or is it jus a learned habbit caused by stress?
i know all this sounds petty and silly but im very distressed at moment i would be grateful for any replys. i jus need some reassurance that the clenching is habbit caused by stress and not the fact that my front teeth were filed.
has any1 else had any similar problems by having thier two front teeth filed down?
thank u
Answer:
Although I now have tmj I think most of my problems started when I needed a front bridge for my upper front teeth and due to fitting problems they were made a bit shorter than my natural ones. This caused my back teeth to meet sooner than the front and eventually I started to clench. Most dentists will tell you that your front teeth need to rest on each other when your jaw is in a relaxed position (like when lying down) and if they do not your back teeth will then bare the brunt of the force of your bite which will cause the muscles to tighten and clenching or grinding to develop.
I think the best way for you to determine if filing your front teeth down has influenced your clenching is to ask your dentist to make a plastic mold or splint for your upper front teeth which is slightly longer than your natural front teeth and wear it at night to see if things change - my dentist called it a reprogrammer. If it works then at least you know what the problem may be - sometimes just wearing the reprogrammer at night will keep you from clenching and that's all that is required. If it doesn't help then you may need to see if a full night guard will help as well has some relaxing techniques and exercises at night. My only caution would be that of an NTI - its similar to a reprogrammer however it raises the vertical position of your mouth and sometimes people who wear them long term develop open bites (front teeth no longer meet at all).
If you do determine this is being caused by your front teeth and want a more permament fix the dentist could put some bonding on either the lower or upper front teeth that would provide the same affect.
I know I may not have alleviated your concerns but I wouldn't worry too much about whether you caused it or not - but it is best that you fix it now before it turns into something worse.
Answer:
thank u so much for responding...
what is a bridge? is it a tooth cap.
u mentioned that the front teeth should rest on each other when mouth is closed, but my front teeth top and bottom never use to touch even before i had my front teeth filed as the top ones are a few millimetres farer then the bottom (dont knw if this is an overbite)...u think its still the possible cause of my clenching?
im gonna try to find out if my dentist can sort me out with a reprogramer...
did ur get ur bridge sorted?
thank u
thank u
Answer:
Hi, I read your post on the other board Sam so here I am, though I am not sure that I can be of much help. I did have my two front teeth filed down a tiny bit once when I chipped one after hitting it on the pool. I also tend to be a teeth clincher when I get stressed, but I don't think those two are related. I think your first explanation sounds much more logical, that it is caused by stress. I know that is what causes it for me.
Good luck!
Nancy