A hundred things can happen to us via clenching. You may not think you clench, but if you don t, you must be from another planet. All of us have some degree of TMJ problems, but it may not bother us enough to recognize them. Clenching causes virtually every dental problem, save dental decay, tartar formation, and gingivitis, but I cover these problems because they are affected by clenching. Clenching always affects muscles, TM joints , and teeth , but in different ways.
Involvement can vary greatly.
For example, one can have major muscle problems, such as spastic torticollis , but minimal TM joint and tooth problems. Or, one can have serious tooth problems, but minimal joint and muscle problems. It depends on the type bite one has and what one does with his or her jaw during clenching.