Night Guards

Many people are afflicted with bruxism, or teeth grinding. Some people may do this consciously during the day, but it is a larger problem at night while you are asleep. Grinding your teeth can damage enamel, wear down teeth, cause jaw pain, damage the Temporomandibular Joint or irritate your gums. The noise from teeth grinding can also disturb your spouse’s sleep if loud enough.

If you grind your teeth you should consider a night guard as one of a few solutions. The night guard, which is very similar to a mouth guard worn by athletes, provides a barrier between your top and bottom teeth while you sleep. All night guards are custom fitted for comfort and bite alignment and to allow for proper breathing. Your dentist will take an impression of your teeth and have the night guard created by a dental lab. Night guards are very durable and are one solution to grinding. Other solutions involve Nueromuscular Dentistry involving Orthotic Fabrication to find the right bite for you based on a muscle dictated bite.

There are also some things that you can do to try to stop teeth grinding. You can train your jaw to be free and easy rather than clenched. Refrain from chewing gum or on other objects like pens. You should also avoid alcoholic drinks and drinks with caffeine, as these can increase the likelihood you will grind your teeth. If you suspect you might be grinding your teeth at night set up an appointment with us today for a consultation to determine the right treatment for you.