Some people see Invisalign as a purely cosmetic treatment; however, this isn’t true. While Invisalign can certainly give patients straighter teeth for an enhanced appearance, this orthodontic appliance has many uses in correcting certain bite and jaw issues that can contribute to oral health problems.

A great example of this is bruxism, or, teeth grinding. Invisalign can help patients who suffer from teeth grinding by correcting their bite and properly aligning the teeth.

How a Misaligned Bite Contributes to Bruxism

When the teeth are not aligned properly, a patient is at higher risk for bruxism. Why is this?

With a misaligned bite and teeth, uneven pressure is placed on the biting surfaces of the teeth. This uneven pressure will cause the teeth to fit together differently and even irritate the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which is responsible for the movement of the jaw. These are all factors that can influence teeth grinding.

Treatment with Invisalign Can Help

If we had to divide the bite into two categories, there would be the macroocculsion, which is the relationship between the upper and lower jaw, and the microocclusion, which is the relationship between the upper and lower teeth.

Invisalign corrects the microocclusion when teeth are not aligned properly so that teeth grinding will lessen and potentially be alleviated entirely.

Continuing to Reduce Your Risk of Bruxism

Once Invisalign treatment is done, retainers will help keep the teeth in place so they won’t regress to their former positions. We recommend patients wear these retainers nightly for the rest of their life. The retainers will also help protect against teeth grinding at night.

While Invisalign can correct the microocclusion, treating a misaligned macroocclusion—which involves the upper and lower jaw—would be a completely different treatment.

Are you suffering from teeth grinding and suspect the cause could be crooked or misaligned teeth? Contact us to make an appointment with Dr. Mazhari today to see if you’re a candidate for Invisalign treatment at (703) 212-9622!