Symptoms & conditions
Teeth grinding (bruxism)
The short answer
Most people who grind don't know they do — it happens in sleep. Signs: morning jaw soreness, headaches at the temples, flattened tooth tips, or a partner hearing the grinding at night. A custom nightguard (OMR 80-150) prevents the damage. Ignored, it costs you cracked teeth, receding gums, and eventually restorative work worth thousands.
What's happening
The clinical picture
Bruxism is rhythmic clenching and grinding of the teeth, 90% of it during sleep. Forces during grinding reach 250-400 Newtons — several times what you generate chewing. Over years this causes micro-cracks in enamel, flattening of the biting surfaces, notching at the gum line (abfraction), and chronic strain on the TMJ. Causes are multifactorial: sleep-breathing disorders (especially mild sleep apnoea), stress/anxiety, caffeine or nicotine, and occasionally bite discrepancies. A proper assessment looks at all of them; a nightguard manages damage while the cause is addressed.
Warning signs
Contact us the same day if:
- Morning headache at the temples or jaw
- Visibly flat or chipped tooth edges
- Teeth that have gotten sensitive over time
- "V-shaped" notches at the gum line
- Partner hears grinding at night
What we do
Our approach
Clinical exam looking for wear facets, abfraction, and TMJ tenderness. Impressions taken chair-side for a custom hard-acrylic nightguard (OMR 80-150) delivered 1-2 weeks later. If sleep apnoea is suspected we refer to a sleep physician — bruxism plus snoring is a flag. Anxiety-driven grinders may benefit from a stress-management conversation with their GP.
Dig deeper
Related articles
Article
Night Grinding and Nightguards: Why Your Jaw Hurts in the Morning
Half the adults in Oman grind their teeth at night and don’t know it. The damage is slow and cumulative — cracked enamel, worn biting surfaces, headaches, and tight masseter muscles. A proper custom nightguard prevents all of it for the price of a dinner.
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TMJ Disorders in Oman: Why Your Jaw Clicks and Aches, and What Actually Helps
The jaw joint is the most-used joint in the body — it moves every time you eat, talk, or yawn. When it hurts, most patients are told "it’ll get better" and left to suffer. Here’s what actually causes TMJ pain and the stepwise treatment that works.
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