Diagnosing Bruxism

Because bruxism often happens unconsciously, diagnosis usually starts with a conversation about your symptoms- like jaw pain, morning headaches, or tooth sensitivity - and any reports of grinding sounds during sleep. Your dentist then looks for clinical signs such as flattened or chipped teeth, enamel wear, jaw muscle tenderness, and cheek biting, and may recommend further testing (like a sleep study) if sleep bruxism or another sleep disorder is suspected.