Bruxism and Zirconia

Dental Zirconia as a Permanent Solution for Bruxism

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Monolithic Zirconia is Emerging as an Ideal Solution for Patients with Bruxism

Bruxism (also called teeth grinding) occurs when a person habitually or involuntarily grinds their teeth or clenches their jaws. There are two major forms of bruxism:

Sleep Bruxism — occurs when a person is sleeping

Awake Bruxism — occurs during the day when a person is awake

Bruxism is still being studied as its causes are not clearly understood. The two different types of bruxism seem to differ in possible causes. Although various treatments exist, there is little proof of any long-term solutions for this condition.

Bruxism is harmful to the teeth and can cause tooth wear, cracked teeth, sensitive teeth, loose teeth, lip or tissue biting and damage, jaw muscle pain or fatigue, and other symptoms.

What Does Bruxism Mean for Patients with Dental Restorations?

Bruxism is inherently harmful to dental restorations as it causes an excessive amount of tooth contact and friction which can lead to the deterioration of dental implants. However, the type of dental restoration a patient has plays a strong role in the effects of bruxism.

In a report published by the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry, studies showed that a combination of ceramic and metallic restorations as well as porcelain veneers with zirconia substructures were both prone to chipping, fracturing and loss of material under pressure and as a result of friction.

The study suggested that in many cases, the result was due to bond failure between materials and that it was a cohesive fracture type. This means that when materials are fused together such as a combination of metallic and ceramic restorations, or in porcelain veneers on a substructure, dental restoration may be more likely to become damaged and deteriorate over a shorter period of time.

Maxillary bridge as a permanent solution for a heavy bruxer

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What are the Advantages of Monolithic Zirconia in Patients with Bruxism?

Monolithic zirconia is formed out of solid blocks of zirconia and is specifically-designed to withstand wear-and-tear for as long as a lifetime. In the case of patients suffering from bruxism, monolithic zirconia is one of the best choices for dental restorations because of its high fracture strength and longevity.

A study published by the Allied Academies Biomedical Research revealed how monolithic zirconia compared to other materials when subjected to different types of wear.

Monolithic zirconia was found to be up to several times stronger than other materials and was able to endure stress for longer periods of time. The study also showed that there was very little difference between the durability of new and older monolithic zirconia — further proving its toughness and longevity over time.

For patients with bruxism, repairing and replacing their dental restorations and implants is a costly side-effect of having restoration materials that are not compatible with their condition. Monolithic zirconia is a perfect choice for anyone suffering from bruxism as it is designed to withstand and outperform other materials when it comes to wear-and-tear of the teeth.