Bruxism includes clenching and grinding of the teeth. Bruxism causes chips and cracks in the teeth as well as wear of the biting surface. Often, bruxism occurs during sleep. In a typical case, the canines and incisors are commonly moved against each other laterally, i.e. with a side to side action. This abrades tooth enamel, removing the sharp biting surfaces and flattening the edges of the teeth.
Some will clench without significant side to side jaw movement. Over time, bruxing shortens and blunts the teeth being ground, and may lead to pain in the joint of the jaw, the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ), or headache. Most people are not aware of their bruxism.
