Night Guards/Custom TMJ Bite Plane

A night guard, also known as a dental guard, is prescribed to patients to help treat bruxism or teeth grinding. A night guard may also be referred to as an occlusal guard, occlusal splint, or bite splint. They stop bruxism by preventing your upper and lower teeth from touching. Teeth grinding and clenching is common and can be painful and destructive to teeth. Luckily, there are a variety of night guards available to help anyone who clenches or grinds their teeth while sleeping.

Common symptoms of bruxism includes:

• Sore facial muscles
• Headaches/earaches
• Jaw pain
• Achy or sensitive teeth
• Excessive wear and breakage of teeth

Benefits of Wearing a Night Guard for Teeth Grinding

• Decrease wear and tear on your natural teeth.
• Help stop damages to dentures, crowns, and other restoration work.
• Protect sensitive enamel.
• Reduce the risk of chipped teeth and tooth loss.
• Decrease jaw pain, headaches, and other common symptoms of teeth grinding.
• Get a better sleep each night.
• Prevent damages to your teeth that could lead to the need for costly repair methods such as crowns, veneers, implants, bridges, extractions, and so forth. It’s less painful and more cost effective to invest in a night guard.

Over-the-Counter Dental Guards

There are dental guards available for sale that do not require a trip to the dentist, but beware these guards are not custom made like a guard created by your dentist. As a result, it’s likely to be uncomfortable and potentially even painful. Even worse, wearing an improperly fitting dental guard could cause worsening of certain conditions such as Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). It’s so important to talk with a dentist before deciding if you should wear a dental night guard or not.

Visiting Our Dental Office: Night Guards for Teeth Grinding

Your dentist is the only person who can officially diagnose bruxism and create the appropriate dental guard to fit your mouth. A dentist can also detect existing damages resulting from teeth grinding and help address these issues. It might seem easy to ignore teeth grinding, but over time it’s sure to lead to dental issues that are costly and painful to fix. Proactive dental care is more affordable and a wise investment in your smile.

Ready to stop damaging your teeth every night with teeth grinding? Schedule your appointment with our dental office in St. John's today.