I'm panicking i'm going to lose my front tooth

[Sarah18]

Hi, I feel so worried and I would really appreciate some advice please. I suffer with bruxism and tmj. I've been wearing a night guard on my top teeth for the last 2 years trying to protect them. I woke up the other morning, took my mouth guard out and one of my front teeth and the tooth next to it was painful.

I have slightly receding gums between these two teeth and I've noticed with my mouth guard in I've been pulling/sucking it tighter to my teeth.

The pain I felt the other day has improved. At the time the two teeth felt strained all the time. Now they feel strained every now and then. The gum feels a bit tender between those teeth, i've been using a gingivitis gel which seems to work well. My teeth feel fine eating and drinking hot or cold. If I massage the gum area it seems to improve it as well. If I have my mind taken off it (which is hard) I don't feel anything. When I wake up in the morning they feel fine to start with.

I am so scared I'm going to lose my front tooth or have to have a root canal/crown. Does this sound likely? Have I damaged my teeth more with this guard?

I have a wonderful dentist and I have an appointment for next week. My anxiety is through the roof, it's all I can focus on at the moment. I've always had the biggest fear of the dentist and I went for 15 years not seeing one. Since then I've been every 6 months.

I would be really grateful for any advice.

Thank you

 

[Gordon]

Sounds like you need your guard adjusted a little bit, don't panic, you haven't done any kind of permanent damage.

 

[Sarah18]

Thank you so much for replying. I managed to get myself to the dentist today. Apparently teeth all look the same as they did at my last appointment. He reckons after checking my guard, with it being a softer one that moves I'm bruising my teeth. Can bruising ache come and go?
They've suggested I see how it goes and if it keeps happening to get a different type of guard, a harder one for top and bottom teeth. Does this sound like a good option?
Also both jaw muscles are extremely tight.

I find it hard to believe that the muscles in my jaw can cause the aching under my teeth?
And is bruising a common thing to happen with guards?

I'm still worried they've missed something. Is it really easy to tell teeth look good or look the same as the last appointment?

 

[Gordon]

Can bruising ache come and go?

Yes, bruising isn't a great description for it, you're basically over straining the little ligaments that hold the tooth in place. So it will come and go as the excess force is removed or returns, if that makes sense?

They've suggested I see how it goes and if it keeps happening to get a different type of guard, a harder one for top and bottom teeth. Does this sound like a good option?

Yes. Soft guards in some cases can actually make things worse, it's like they stimulate more clenching and grinding for some reason. One of the many things that makes treating TMJ issues such "fun"!

I find it hard to believe that the muscles in my jaw can cause the aching under my teeth?
And is bruising a common thing to happen with guards?

Believe it. You can generate a force of over 150PSI when you bite your teeth together. Now think of applying that force to a small area about a half inch in size... instead of spreading it out over the whole arch, which is the area of the little ligaments holding these teeth in situ...

Is it really easy to tell teeth look good or look the same as the last appointment?

Yes, fairly straightforward.