Why Do I Clench and Grind My Teeth?

The habit of clenching and grinding often has an emotional component – meaning the stress you’re experiencing with your job, relationship, school or finances can instigate the tightening of muscles that result in teeth being clenched shut and/or being ground down. Now you may be reading this and thinking – ‘I love my life, I have zero stress and I still grind my teeth’ – and you wouldn’t be alone. For many patients the joy of life still can’t seem to prevent the inevitable habit of nightly grinding and daytime sessions of clenching. So what’s contributing to this habit? Your bite.

Why Do Crooked Teeth Make Me Grind?

Teeth that are out of alignment and in poor arch formation frequently feel the brunt of daily grinding. In an attempt to balance a bite and reduce perceived interferences that the brain has picked up, it’s not uncommon to enter a cycle of grinding. Patients who have obvious bite concerns that include poor relationship between top and bottom arches commonly report grinding that leaves sore facial muscles, tight neck and shoulder muscles and teeth that are flattened and worn. And it’s not just natural teeth that show the signs of clenching and grinding – crowns, bridges and fillings are also weakened due to the immense force that is exerted when teeth clench and grind.

Should I Wear a Night Guard?

Our general dentists want patients to know that there are solutions available that address the habit of grinding and protect teeth from further damage. Wearing a night guard can be a viable option for patients looking for comfort and protection, as these custom fit appliances act as a shield against stressors. Correcting bite imbalances with orthodontics or restorative treatment can also make a difference in how top and bottom teeth relate to one another – and can promote less muscle tension and joint discomfort.

Clenching and grinding of teeth doesn’t have to rob you of your smile – or your sanity! Contact us today!

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NE Calgary Dentists at Discover Dental understand that for patients who experience dental anxiety, a routine dental appointment can seem daunting, so often making a dental appointment is avoided.  The fact is; many people suffer from dental phobias – ranging from extreme fear that prevents them from entering a dental office, to those individuals who get pre-appointment jitters but are able to soldier through treatment.  Being afraid of dental treatment is more common than you might think – but there are ways to handle dental anxiety so that even extensive appointments are stress-free.

General Dentists at Discover Dental in Falconridge offer nervous dental patients the option of Sedation Dentistry.  Sedation Dentistry isn’t something new to the world of dentistry – but has been trusted and used by dentists around the world for decades – providing patients with a safe, effective option that enables them to relax during dental appointments.  For many patients who suffer from nerves and dental anxiety the thought of having dental treatment is enough to cause extreme stress – resulting in missed dental appointments and untreated issues.  Unfortunately the fear of dental treatment prevents some patients from receiving needed care to address dental decay, infections, and other ailments.

Avoiding seeing your NE Calgary Dentist is not the solution for dental nerves – finding a dental office that provides Sedation Dentistry is a great way to move forward with treatment and overcome dental fears.  Sedation Dentistry, or Sleep Dentistry, can be administered in different forms – from Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas), pill form, to IV Sedation.  One of the many advantages of Sedation Dentistry is that it allows a patient to remain conscious during treatment but in a completely relaxed state – no more aching jaw muscles or tight shoulders – only a relaxed and stress-free dental appointment.

NE Calgary Dentists at Discover Dental explain that dentistry that has been avoided for years can be completed in just a few appointments with the use of sedation – allowing a patient to regain a level of dental health while building confidence in their ability to handle dental treatment.  If you experience dental nervousness that results in avoiding the dentist – call Discover Dental today and find out if Sedation Dentistry is suitable for you.

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Dentists at Discover Dental in NE Calgary focus of providing patients with treatment options that create beautiful smiles in an affordable and efficient way. They recognize that patients desire the look of straight teeth and great arch form – but are not always naturally blessed with a great smile. That’s why these NE Calgary General Dentists turn to Damon Clear Orthodontic Brackets to help them achieve amazing treatment results in limited dental appointments. Damon Braces are a trusted orthodontic bracketing system(s) were designed by an Orthodontist – Dr. Dwight Damon – and today’s clear bracket option allows patients to straighten their teeth with minimal change to their daily appearance.
– but is esthetically pleasing due to its ‘clear’ appearance that literally blends right in so a person’s confidence to attend work functions and school events never lessens and image-conscious individuals can still participate in activities. Along with the bracket strength Damon Clear Orthodontics still allow arch wires to move through the passive self-ligating brackets – meaning that treatment time is still efficient, discomfort is kept to a minimum, and treatment results are never compromised.
NE Calgary Dentists at Discover Dental chose to use this orthodontic system due to its efficiency and ease of wear for patients. The system allows arch wires to move smoothly and freely through brackets, reducing friction that can cause an increase in inflammation and discomfort in some orthodontic cases. When inflammation is reduced, teeth can concentrate on moving to the desired location in the mouth, and bone can easily regenerate around the tooth to ensure that it stays in its new position long-term. Patient’s oral hygiene tends to be easier to maintain during orthodontic treatment due to the ease of cleaning around these brackets – there are no elastics around these brackets – so brushing and flossing can still be performed with minimal stress, making sure that when braces come off teeth are straight and healthy.
During orthodontic treatment it is important to maintain regular cleanings with your hygienist to keep teeth and gums in good condition. Wearing braces doesn’t mean you can skip routine dental care – so if you’re in need of a check-up and cleaning, contact Discover Dental today.

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Dentists in NE Calgary are often asked if ‘bad teeth’ are inherited just like hair color and height.  Genetics certainly influence the shape and size of a person’s mouth and jaw – as its part of the skeletal system that is influenced by genetic markers.  But whether your child displays your crooked front teeth or tendency to develop cavities doesn’t boil down to only genetics – as it is impacted by environmental, dietary, and oral habits that can sometimes play a far more significant role in how healthy teeth are, and if jaw deficiencies develop.

General Dentists at Discover Dental in NE Calgary explain that there isn’t one simple answer as there are many factors at play in determining if a child’s smile will replicate a parent’s.  The shape of your jaw and size of teeth may be inherited by your child – it’s common to see children exhibit the same ‘big square teeth’ that their Mother has, or the same narrow jaw.  But just because a parent has lived with crooked teeth due to a deficient jaw it doesn’t mean that their children will.  Early orthodontic treatment that involves the use of arch expanders can easily create more space to accommodate adult teeth – and certain appliances can also be used to promote correct jaw and arch development.

NE Calgary Dentists clarify that a child’s tendency to develop dental decay is not genetically inherited, but more habit and diet inherited.  If parents aren’t setting a good example of brushing and flossing daily – and avoiding sugar laden foods – then the risk of children being prone to decay heightens, not due to any genetic factor but from inheriting diet and oral habits.  Unless the child was exposed to certain drugs in vitro, the chance of having ‘weak dental enamel’ is rare – and most rampant decay cases are a result of poor home care (brushing and flossing) and poor diet choices.

If you have concerns regarding the development of your child’s teeth and jaw call Discover Dental today – these NE Calgary Dentists welcome patients’ enquiries and are accepting New Patients to their practice.  403.285.0222

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NE Calgary Dentists – Dr’s Dhesi, Dhillon, Minhas and Chattha – make it a priority to share tips on how to keep your oral health in tip-top condition.  Obviously, visiting a Calgary Dentist regularly is a great start to maintaining healthy teeth and gums – but what about other influences like food choices – which foods help to keep your teeth shining bright, and which foods contribute to tooth decay and premature tooth loss?

When your nutrition is lacking your entire immune system is affected – leading to vulnerability to develop disorders such as periodontal disease.  Recent studies have discovered the correlation between systemic health and oral health; with conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease being directly affected by the condition of a person’s oral health.  Can you believe that there may be more bacteria in the mouth then people on earth!! Yikes – that’s motivation to go brush your teeth.  And though the large amount of bacteria found in an individual’s mouth seems alarming – not all of the bacteria is harmful.  Some bacteria is healthy and essential to destroying other harmful bacteria – the concern is when the balance between healthy and bad bacteria is lost – and lack of effective home care, dental cleanings, and good nutritional choices all contribute to raising the level of harmful bacteria in the mouth.

Lack of good nutrition impacts every cell in the body – including teeth and gums – and bad food choices that are loaded with sugars and starch contributes to the formation of plaque and inflammation in the mouth.  When you eat starchy food you’re not just satisfying your own hunger pangs but the cravings of bacteria living in your mouth.  And when you have a late night snack sugary snack and then jump in to bed without brushing your teeth (you wouldn’t do that) the acid that is produced by plaque (bacteria), to break down the sugar on the teeth, eats away at enamel and weakens teeth.   Plaque also releases toxins that contribute to the destruction of gum tissue and bone – so brushing and flossing regularly along with eating less starchy, sugary food, and avoiding sugary drinks, is the first line of defense in keeping your mouth healthy.

Calgary General Dentists at Discover Dental in NE Calgary want you to make smart food choices not just for your dental health, but your overall health.  So, what should you be snacking on to keep your teeth healthy?  How about loading up on fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese and yoghurt, sugar-free gum, and drink plenty of water or green tea.  Green tea is rich in polyphenols – an antioxidant – which helps to break down bad bacteria in the mouth.

Discover Dental welcomes new patients and invites you to contact the office to schedule an appointment – 403.285.0222

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NE Calgary Dentists at Discover Dental in Falconridge want to explain the importance x-rays play in maintaining dental health.  For some of us it seems easy to decline x-rays when we go to the dentist.  We just want them to ‘look’ at the sore tooth, inflamed gum, or annoying sore on the inside of our cheek.  Well when you think about it, we’d never get away with that if we went to a medical doctor and asked them to just ‘look’ at our symptoms.  We often agree to blood tests and other forms of diagnosing from our medical doctor – so why are we so reluctant to agree to dental x-rays?

Some people use the excuse that dental x-rays emit high amounts of radiation.  That just isn’t true. Most progressive dental offices in Calgary take digital x-rays – technology that reduces the amount of radiation that traditional x-rays emit by up to 90%.  To explain it in terms of sun exposure – one full day in the sun equates to roughly twenty dental x-rays.  That’s an awful lot of x-rays, as the average adult has just four x-rays taken on an annual basis – so one day in the sun is the same as five years’ worth of dental x-rays – so pretty minimal exposure to radiation per x-ray.

Now that we’ve explained just how safe dental x-rays are – let’s go on to share the many benefits there are to having routine x-rays taken by your dental provider. Your NE Calgary Dentist will recommend dental x-rays so that tissue that is not visible to the eye can be viewed and examined for health.  Teeth are supported by bone – but bone is not visible to your dentist during a routine check-up exam – so an x-ray is taken to make sure that bone and other dental tissues below the gum level are healthy.  Interproximal areas – or areas in-between teeth – are also not visible to the dentist, especially in adult patients when teeth are larger and tend to butt up against one another.  Taking an x-ray allows your Calgary Dentist to view the area in-between teeth and will show any areas when decay is starting.  Being able to detect dental decay in its early stages will help avoid more involved and costly treatment down the road – so the benefit of early detection far outweighs the cost of the x-ray.

Dental x-rays are used to diagnose dental abscesses, tumours, abnormal jaw growth, and normal eruption of adult teeth in young patients.  By refusing dental x-rays you are limiting your dentist’s ability to make a full and accurate diagnosis.  Calgary Dentists at Discover Dental understand patients’ concerns regarding the need for dental x-rays and welcome your questions to discuss the many advantages x-rays offer.  Discover Dental is welcoming new patients and is happy to address any concerns you may have regarding your dental health.  Call today 403.285.0222

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Making an appointment to see your NE Calgary Dentist may be the best thing you can do for your entire health – not just your dental health.  It’s no secret that the health of the mouth reveals the overall health of the body – and many a disease and condition has been first discovered by your Calgary Dentist.  Delaying or putting-off seeing your NE Calgary Dentist for a check-up exam is not only compromising your dental health – but your entire system.

More and more studies are making the correlation between the health of the mouth and the health of the body as a whole.  We’ve discussed in past blogs the link between gum health and heart disease – but if you missed the previous post here’s a re-cap.  According to the American Academy of Periodontology, people with periodontal disease are almost twice as likely to have coronary artery disease (also called heart disease). And that other dental concerns such as, gum disease (gingivitis), dental decay, and missing teeth were as reliable of a predictor of heart disease as cholesterol levels. Epidemiologists go on to explain that patients who present with higher blood levels of certain disease causing bacteria in the mouth were more likely to have atherosclerosis of the carotoid artery – potentially leading to a stroke.

What’s the connection between gingivitis and heart disease and stroke? – well experts know that bacteria present in the mouth can enter the blood stream through the gums – and these bacteria stick to the fatty deposits in arteries, adding to the blockages. Inflamed gums may also be a sign that inflammation is occurring in other parts of the body – such as arteries.  Regardless of which came first, the obstructed arteries, or the periodontal disease – both conditions play off one another, so it’s imperative to take control of your dental health – thereby improving your overall health.

NE Calgary Dentists at Discover Dental in Falconridge also explain that seeing your Calgary Dentist for regular check-ups can ensure that you are being checked for early signs of oral cancer, fungal infections like candidiasis, halitosis (bad breath), canker and cold sores (that may be linked to a suppressed immune system) and other potential health issues that may be present.   And although this routine exam may be tempting to skip – making regular dental exams is just the first step in keeping both your dental health and complete health in tip-top shape.

Call this NE Calgary Dental office today and make an appointment to see one of Discover Dental’s experienced dentists today – you won’t be disappointed. 403.285.0222

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NE Calgary Dentists at Discover Dental are excited to share the many benefits of teeth whitening.

Stained Teeth in Calgary
For some patients their teeth are stained due to taking certain medications, such as Tetracycline.  As much as a patient may try to whiten their teeth with toothpaste, due to the nature of the stain – it’s beyond the surface of the tooth – a stronger bleaching option is required to lighten the staining.  Even teeth that have been exposed to a little too much coffee and red wine benefits from the fast and effective whitening a Home Bleaching Kit provides.
Teeth Whitening in Calgary is one of them most sought after cosmetic procedures.  The result can be dramatic – whitening teeth several shades – and providing the perfect pre-treatment step in preparation for replacing existing Crowns, Bridges and White Fillings.  As the whitening solution only works on tooth enamel – existing dentistry will not lighten in colour – so keep this in mind before committing to any type of teeth whitening application.

Teeth Whitening can be an effective option for patients in Calgary whose teeth have Fluorosis – this is where teeth have a mottled appearance due to exposure to too much Fluoride during tooth development.  This condition does not respond to regular cleanings with your hygienist, as the staining is within the tooth structure.  Bleaching the teeth will lighten the non-mottled parts of teeth – creating a uniform appearance.

NE Calgary Dentists see great results when patients who have naturally yellow teeth whiten their teeth.  Not everyone is born with bright white teeth – and like other aspects of aging, teeth tend to darken as we age.  But no one has to be stuck with dark, yellow teeth.  In just one hour a day – usually two thirty minute sessions – patients can whiten their teeth several shades in just a matter of weeks.  The ease of using a Home Teeth Whitening Kit allows patients to create a more youthful appearance in the comfort of their home.

How Easy is Teeth Whitening in Calgary?
Dentists at Discover Dental in Calgary can have you smiling brightly in just a couple of appointments.  An impression is taken of your teeth at the first appointment – then custom top and bottom trays are fabricated to fit your teeth perfectly.  It’s important that bleaching trays fit correctly so that all teeth benefit from the bleaching effect – customization is lacking with store bought products so the end result will not be as dramatic.  At your second appointment your NE Calgary dentist will have you try your new bleaching trays in to ensure proper fit.  You will be given instructions on how to apply the bleaching gel and how long to keep the teeth whitening solution in.  Sometimes patients will experience some tooth sensitivity when whitening their teeth.  This is a normal side effect of the bleaching effect – and it lets us know that the whitening solution is working.

Dentists at Discover Dental are excited to help patients achieve the best smile they can and welcome your enquiries regarding Teeth Whitening in Calgary or any other Cosmetic Dental procedure.  Options are available to whiten and brighten dark, stained, yellow teeth.  Call today to discover how these NE Calgary Dentists can help.

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The history of the Sunshine Gala was recently mentioned in an article by CTV:

“For five years, Sofia Kanjee, little “Sofia Sunshine”, was the light of her family’s life. In April 2009, tragedy struck and the family found themselves rushing her to the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Sadly, despite the excellent care she received, Sofia did not survive. To celebrate the warmth and love that Sofia brought to this world, the Kanjee family created Sunshine Gala, an annual event that is attended by hundreds of guests. One hundred percent of all funds raised at this event are directed to the Sofia Kanjee Sunshine Fund, Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation in support of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at the Alberta Children’s Hospital.”

To learn more about supporting the Sunshine Gala, click here

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Adult Orthodontic treatment in Calgary can be an easy, comfortable, almost invisible option, when utilizing the many advantages of Invisalign. Invisalign® in Calgary is turned to as a viable orthodontic system for adults (and teens) who are seeking a bracket free alternative.

Can Anyone Wear Invisalign® in Calgary?
Any stigma that was once associated with wearing orthodontic brackets has long gone.  It’s clear that the benefits of seeking orthodontic treatment far outweigh any esthetic negativity that was once associated with orthodontic care.  Orthodontic treatment goes far beyond straightening teeth – as it’s addressing other dental issues such as jaw pain, chewing difficulties, abnormal wear on teeth and speech concerns.  Whether an individual is fourteen or forty – orthodontic treatment in Calgary is used to address more than just crooked teeth. But the good news is that Invisalign’s® clear aligners do not require the use of brackets and are considered ‘nearly invisible’ – making Invisalign® a great option for an adult with a busy social and work life.  Once you’ve had a consultation with your NE Calgary General Dentist or Orthodontist your orthodontic treatment can be diagnosed and the option of wearing Invisalign® can be discussed.

General Dentists in Calgary providing Invisalign® treatment have participated in continuing education so they are skilled in diagnosing and treating appropriate cases with Invisalign®.  General Dentists at Discover Dental in NE Calgary offer Invisalign® to adult patients who would benefit from the clear aligners.  Invisalign® offers a convenient solution for adult orthodontic care due to the lack of attention they draw to teeth.  The subtlety of Invisalign® allows adult patients to go about their day with confidence – while taking comfort in knowing that their bite is being improved.  Invisalign’s modern removable customized aligners gently and gradually move teeth in to better position by applying force.  As treatment progresses the patient wears a new aligner – changing aligners approximately every two weeks – until the desired treatment goal is reached.

Invisalign’s® Technology
Invisalign® providers in Calgary have modern technology at their fingertips which utilizes 3D imaging to create an impression of a patient’s teeth. Using this 3D technology during the consultation a patient is able to view how their teeth will move during the various stages of treatment.  Invisalign® aligners are custom-made to the 3D imaging – there’s no one size fits all approach – only customization that focuses on each individual case.

Seeing Your Calgary Dentist During Invisalign® Treatment
Patients who wear Invisalign aligners will change aligners approximately every two weeks.  It’s important that the patient see their Calgary Invisalign® provider every six weeks so that it can be confirmed that the overall treatment plan is on schedule and correct tooth alignment is occurring. Compliance with the treatment plan is essential to the success of treatment – so taking aligners out only happens at meal times and for brushing and flossing.  Maintaining regular dental cleanings during Invisalign® treatment will ensure that your new smile is not only beautifully straight but shining bright as well.  NE Calgary Dentists at Discover Dental welcome new patients and are happy to explain the many benefits Invisalign® offers adult patients who are motivated to correct tooth alignment.  Call this NE Calgary Dental office today and make a consultation to discover more about Invisalign®.

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