Night Guard
A Dental Night Guard Can Protect Your Teeth
Let’s discuss if a custom night guard is right for you.
Do You Grind or Clench Your Teeth?
Night guards may be recommended for patients who are grinding and clenching their teeth. Teeth grinding and clenching, also known as bruxism, can lead to cracked, broken, or worn down teeth, headaches, poor sleep quality, and jaw pain. Nighttime teeth grinding is especially common. The first step in handling bruxism is awareness. Understanding the source of your pain or discomfort is important for both you and your dentist. The dentist may recommend that you get a night guard to help relieve symptoms and act as a barrier between your teeth. A night guard helps prevent you from grinding your teeth at night by propping open your bite and protecting your teeth, dental appliances, or tooth restorations from direct wear.
Custom Made Night Guards for a Comfortable Fit
The first step in creating a custom-fitted night guard is an initial consultation. During this consultation, we will take impressions of your teeth to ensure a perfect, custom fit and discuss if you require a soft night guard or hard night guard. Next, these impressions will be used to create a custom mould from which the night guard will be crafted at a dental lab. A soft mouth guard is mainly for teeth clenching whereas a hard mouth guard is for more severe clenching and grinding. Once the night guard is completed, you’ll return to our dental office for a fitting to ensure proper comfort and functionality. A night guard should fit snugly but not cause discomfort. It will almost look and feel like an Invisalign retainer.
Consider a Sports Mouth Guard
Mouth guards aren’t just for people who grind their teeth. If you’re involved in contact sports, a custom mouth guard can also help protect your smile.
Reduced Risk of Concussion
A properly fitted mouth guard can help reduce the risk of concussion by providing cushioning and support to the jaw and skull during impact.
Can Prevent Soft Tissue Injuries
Mouth guards can also prevent injuries to the lips, tongue, and soft tissues in the mouth that can occur during sports activities.
Retention of Existing Dental Work
If you have existing dental work such as braces, a mouth guard can help protect and retain the orthodontics which, in turn, can save you from further dental issues.
Learn More About Why We Recommend Night Mouth Guards
Patients who wear a night mouth guard have reported both immediate and long-term benefits, not only to their oral health but to their overall well-being too. Here are a few reasons why our dentist may recommend a mouth guard for you:
Protection for Teeth Grinder
Night guards for teeth grinding is one of the most popular suggestions to help prevent upper and lower teeth from wearing, fractures, and other dental issues.
Improve Sleep
Did you know that bruxism can contribute to sleep apnea? Disrupted sleep can lead to fatigue, headaches, moodiness, and other health issues. Wearing a night guard can potentially help improve sleep patterns.
Prevent Snoring
Some night guards are designed to position the jaw in a way that can help reduce snoring. By keeping the airway open and improving breathing, a night guard may offer some relief for snorers.
Protection for Other Dental Work
If you have dental restorations such as crowns, bridges, or dental implants, wearing a night guard can help protect them from damage caused by grinding and clenching.
Aids in TMJ Treatment
Night mouth guards can help alleviate jaw pain and discomfort associated with Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorders. TMJ is a common disorder and can cause facial and jaw pain, headaches, clicking and popping of the jaw, and more.
For Heavy Teeth Grinders
There are a couple of different kinds of bruxism – awake bruxism is when you unconsciously grind and clench your teeth while awake and sleep bruxism is when you unconsciously grind and clench your teeth while sleeping. Sleep bruxism can especially lead to other health issues and cause sleep disturbances. It may end up being severe enough that it leads to damaged teeth. This is when we may recommend a hybrid night guard or a hard night guard. Patients immediately think that this may be uncomfortable, but hybrid night guards are crafted with comfort in mind. They’re made from a laminate material that is soft on the inside and hard on the outside. Plus, they’ll be custom-fitted to ensure the best fit possible. A night guard can last upwards of five years or more with proper care.
Let's Discuss if Mouth Guards are Right for You
We don’t recommend over-the-counter night guards. It’s best to have one custom-fitted and to discuss the best type of night guard for your specific issues with our dentist. There are many benefits to wearing one, especially in preventing grinding and clenching. If you want to learn more about sports mouth guards and night mouth guards, book an appointment at our dental office today.