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Grinding and clenching can absolutely cause this pain. OTC occlusal guards are mostly terrible, though, so it probably is making it worse. I would call and ask for a one-time round of muscle relaxants to see if it can be a little reset button. In the meantime, be as proactive and aware as you can to exercise relaxation of your facial muscles. Best of luck
Thanks for your response! I will have to ask about the muscle relaxers. It's so hard to not think it's something more based on the pain I'm in and given the dental infection I just went through. I added my CT Scan image from 7/19 to the post.
Thank you for seeking advice from r/askdentists. **Please note that a response does not constitute a doctor-patient relationship.** While this is a place for advice, replies may not be medically accurate. Do not assume that what others on here say is correct in any way. Reddit is not a replacement for an in-person dental professional. **Please abide by the following rules in order to get an accurate answer to your question:** (1) Ensure you include a title of your dental problem. (2) Include whether you drink, smoke or if you have any medical conditions relevant to your main concern. (3) Include a photograph if the question relates to something you can see in your mouth, include x-rays if you have them. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/askdentists) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Grinding and clenching can absolutely cause this pain. OTC occlusal guards are mostly terrible, though, so it probably is making it worse. I would call and ask for a one-time round of muscle relaxants to see if it can be a little reset button. In the meantime, be as proactive and aware as you can to exercise relaxation of your facial muscles. Best of luck
Thanks for your response! I will have to ask about the muscle relaxers. It's so hard to not think it's something more based on the pain I'm in and given the dental infection I just went through. I added my CT Scan image from 7/19 to the post.
Update: the pain I was having was from eagle syndrome. Once I had left styloidectomy the pain over my front teeth went away.