How Do You Know if You Clench Your Teeth?

Jaw-muscle fatigue in the morning, tension in the temples, flattening of the chewing surfaces or recurrent fractures in restorations can be clues to bruxism.

Someone who clenches their teeth during sleep may not hear it themselves. Jaw-muscle fatigue in the morning, tension in the temples, flattening of the chewing surfaces of the teeth, sensitivity or recurrent fractures in restorations can be clues to bruxism. That said, none of these findings alone gives a definitive diagnosis. Awake bruxism can appear as pressing the teeth together without being aware of it during the day, or unnecessarily tensing the jaw muscles. Stress can increase this behaviour in some people. Sleep bruxism, on the other hand, is a more complex condition related to sleep physiology. At the examination, tooth wear, muscle tenderness, jaw movements and restorations are assessed. If needed, a splint, behavioural awareness, a sleep-related assessment or other approaches may be planned.