How Night Guards Protect Your Smile from Teeth Grinding
Do you wake up with terrible headaches and a sore jaw? Are your teeth flattened and worn down? If so, you may be in the habit of grinding your teeth. , or teeth grinding, is when you unconsciously grind or clench your teeth during sleep. This behavior can damage your teeth and jaw over time, which is why it’s important to see our Hilliard, OH, dentist and get fitted for a night guard.
Here’s how custom night guards can prevent oral health complications caused by unchecked and clenching.
What Is Bruxism?
Experienced by many worldwide, bruxism is a common condition in which you grind and clench your teeth excessively. It can happen during the day or at night and oftentimes goes unnoticed by the affected individual until symptoms are felt.
Learn More → 7 Common Causes of Sensitive Teeth
Both adults and children can experience bruxism. Fortunately, most cases are easily treated with dental appliances, like night guards. More often than not, bruxism results from high levels of stress, anxiety, certain medications, or an abnormal bite. Occasional teeth grinding is not a huge issue, but when it progresses into an everyday habit, you risk damaging your smile.
Grinding your teeth can lead to countless problems such as:
- Headaches
- Tooth pain
- Jaw soreness
- TMJ disorder
- Tooth damage (chipped teeth, fractures, loose teeth, etc.)
- Earaches
- Neck pain
The force exerted from teeth grinding overworks your jaw muscles and causes you to wake up feeling sore. The muscle tenderness from your jaw, teeth, and neck all contribute to your headaches. If the damage is severe enough, you may need to get dental crowns, veneers, or other restorations to fix your teeth. A dental night guard will not only lessen your bruxism symptomsbut will also save you money in the long run.
How Does a Night Guard Work?
As mentioned above, a custom night guard is an oral appliance designed to fit only your mouth as it protects your teeth and jaw from the effects of bruxism. Made from a durable yet comfortable material, night guards act as a cushion, absorbing the force exerted by your jaw while you sleep.
Here’s how a night guard helps:
- Prevents tooth damage – By providing a protective barrier between your upper and lower teeth, a bite splint reduces wear and tear.
- Eases jaw strain – The appliance helps reduce tension in the jaw muscles, alleviating discomfort and decreasing the likelihood of TMJ disorder issues.
- Minimizes headaches and facial pain – By reducing clenching pressure, night guards can significantly decrease morning headaches and facial soreness.
- Improves long-term oral health – Preventing excessive wear on your teeth helps maintain a strong and healthy smile, reducing the need for restorative dental treatments in the future.
Night Guard vs. Sports Mouth Guards
Teeth grinding is a hard habit to kick, especially if you’re under a lot of stress. Night guards are here to help you prevent teeth grinding symptoms so you can get a good night’s sleep. It’s important to remember, however, how they differ from other types of mouth guards.
For starters, sports mouth guards are generally bulkier and more flexible than night guards because they’re meant to protect your teeth from the trauma of another person or ball hitting your face. Their construction consists of outer layers that are designed to resist abrasions and impacts, whereas the inner layers are meant to absorb and disperse forces.
Night guards are typically made of a hard acrylic that is designed to stay put for longer periods of time, making breathing easy. Because they’re custom made using an impression of your teeth, these dental appliances are more comfortable when worn and are capable of keeping your jaw in a better position.
See Our Dentist for a Night Guard
Our , and his team strive to help patients maintain beautiful healthy smiles. If you suspect you grind or clench your teeth, we encourage you to request an appointment or call Gibson Dental at (614) 878-9562.
This blog post has been updated.