Mouth Guard Bruxism involves grinding teeth, clenching your jaw, or gnashing your teeth. If you grind and gnash your teeth while awake, it is termed awake bruxism and if you clench or grind while asleep, it is known as sleep bruxism. Among the many causes of bruxism, stress and anxiety feature in the list. Bruxism can damage teeth because of the force that is released when the teeth come in contact. The damaged enamel may contribute to cavities and decay. On top of that, damage to the enamel can lead to sensitivity and pain. Our team at The Strongsville Center for Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry suggests nightguards to help prevent such damage to your teeth. What is a Nightguard?A night mouthguard is a plastic piece that resembles a retainer and can be made of hard or soft material. The oral appliance covers the teeth biting surface and is worn on the bottom arch or upper arch of teeth. Every teeth pattern is unique, therefore, to have a perfectly fitting and comfortable nightguard, you should have it custom-made for you by using the impressions of your teeth. Our dentist can get your impressions and use them to fabricate your custom-fit mouthguard. Why Get the Right Mouthguard?Getting the right nightguard helps prevent the development of plaque. Often, sports mouthguards tend to cause more harm than good if you sleep wearing them in the mouth. They are not designed to prevent damage from grinding as the nightguards do. Make sure you get nightguards for protection from teeth damage due to bruxism and sports mouth protectors for protection from blunt force trauma. Wearing a sports mouthguard during the night allows bacteria to be trapped on the gums because saliva does not adequately get to the gums when wearing the sports mouthguard. Saliva helps to neutralize acids responsible for cavities. It washes away food remnants, hence preventing plaque buildup. Also, the right nightguard prevents changes in your bite. Nightguards are fitted precisely to the patient's teeth and mouth and in this way better assist in protecting the teeth surfaces from the forces of grinding and clenching. They prevent the tooth surfaces from crushing against each other. Sports mouthguards are often soft and fabricated from a thick rubbery material. Therefore, the softer material causes you to grind your teeth while asleep because the brain thinks it might be food. As a result, you may have muscle discomfort and could prematurely wear down the material. Wearing a sports mouthguard during sleep can lead to bite shifts over time. You may notice that your bite has changed after several years of wearing a sports mouthguard during sleep. Therefore ensure you only use nightguards for addressing issues of bruxism. Types of NightguardsDifferent types of nightguards exist including hard nightguards that are designed to treat severe teeth grinding and clenching or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems. These mouthguards are firm enough to offer adjustments to the bite, hence allowing the tense muscles and jaw to relax. Stock nightguards are available over-the-counter and are pre-made. They can fit any mouth so they are not customized to provide a precise fit. Boil-and-bite nightguards are also available in drug stores and have to be softened using hot water before biting them to fit in the mouth. Unfortunately, using these over-the-counter devices for a long time can make the bite shift since they do not specifically fit the shape of teeth. Customized nightguards are your best bet because they feature a personalized design. Our dentist uses your teeth impressions to construct these custom-fitting nightguards. They ensure comfort and with proper care and proper adjustments, they can survive for many years. Get a customized mouthguard for sleep now. Contact our dental specialist at The Strongsville Center for Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry or call us at (440) 580-1028 for an appointment. |
Contact Information11925 Pearl Rd #206 Strongsville, OH 44136-3343 (440) 580-1028 info@drweiser.com Follow Us |
