Grinding

Clenching, night guards, and damage that happens while you sleep.

Editorial illustration: clear plastic mouthguard close up

It Does Not Stop the Clenching

Four signs answer it, and none of them is noise. A guard does not stop the clenching — it decides whether the damage lands on plastic or on enamel.

Editorial illustration: metal hinge mechanism macro close up

The Clicking Is a Disc Slipping

A clicking jaw is a small cartilage disc slipping and snapping back, which is common and usually harmless. The three signs that change that answer.

Editorial illustration: Cracked walnut shell pressed against a crescent of worn porcelain teeth, lit like a forensic art

What Your Jaw Does While You're Asleep

A reflex stops you biting through your own teeth. It switches off when you sleep — which is how people crack molars and wake up blaming stress for a headache.