The Lion's Pride Volume 10 (Spring 2018) | Page 56

questionnaire also came an enjoyable head and jaw massage that was
added to the dental examinations. Granted, this pleasant inspection was
less for relaxation during the appointment and more for the dentist to
examine the head and neck area of the patient. Still, along with our
patients, I saw it as an added bonus which helped make the often-
stressful visit more enjoyable.
Around the time that the office updated our questionnaire, recent
studies had examined the need for an occlusal night guard or splint to
help protect the teeth from harmful forces which are caused by the
masticatory system. I heard my doctor preach to patients about this on a
daily basis for two years. More recently, however, I haven’t heard any
new information. This is where my curiosity begins and hopefully yours
as well: Teeth are always at the center stage in every conversation,
which is why I only want the best for my pearly whites. As my research
has found, new evidence of wear on teeth as well as stresses on jaw
muscles is still being found, and professionals still agree that
implementing precautions early could prevent future problems to the
masticatory system.
Let’s start off with an explanation of the mouth. Wieckiewicz,
Paradowska-Stolarz, & Wieckiewicz, (2014) explained that “la
Bruxomanie” was used by Maria Pietkiewicz for the first time in 1907.
This term, which was later deemed “bruxism,” explains the destruction
of the masticatory system done without purpose (p. 1). Bruxism is the