Protect Your Teeth Overnight with Night Guards

Do you grind your teeth at night?

Nighttime teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, can damage your molars and disrupt your sleep cycle. At Robinson Dental, we can create a custom night guard for you that will protect your teeth while you sleep.

Night guards are a special type of mouth guard worn at night to prevent your teeth from touching. That way, when you grind your teeth, your night guard absorbs the impact and protects your teeth from damage.

Symptoms of Teeth Grinding

Many people who grind their teeth at night are unaware that it’s happening. In fact, unless someone in your household witnesses it happening, like your partner or your roommate, then you may be completely unaware that you’re damaging your teeth every night.

That’s why it’s important to know the symptoms of teeth grinding. If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, call our office so our dentists can determine if you’re grinding your teeth at night:

• Headaches
• Toothaches
• Sore jaw
• Chipped or cracked teeth
• Loose teeth
• Tooth sensitivity
• Worn tooth enamel

Some symptoms, like headaches and toothaches, could indicate other health problems, which it’s why it’s important to pay attention to when you experience these issues. If you find yourself experiencing pain in your head, jaw, or teeth when you wake up in the morning, it’s likely you’ve been grinding or clenching your teeth through the night.

TMJ Disorder and Treatment

In addition to alleviating pain caused by bruxism, night guards can also help patients who suffer from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.

Temporomandibular joints connect your jawbone to your skull, sort of like hinges. TMJ disorder occurs when these hinges are stressed, strained, damaged, or inflamed. Grinding your teeth at night can worsen your TMJ disorder.

Symptoms of TMJ disorder are similar to symptoms of bruxism. In addition to jaw pain, you may also experience a clicking or popping sensation when you chew or yawn. Speak with our dentists if you’re experiencing any of these symptoms. A night guard can help alleviate pain associated with TMJ disorder as well as bruxism.

Benefits of Custom Night Guards

You may have seen night guards on the shelves of your local supermarket. However, these night guards aren’t customized for your specific smile. They may be uncomfortable, bulky, or ineffective. Even worse, you may find a store-bought night guard so uncomfortable that you don’t wear it at all.

Our dentists can make you a custom night guard that’s designed specifically for your smile. Custom night guards are thin enough to be comfortable to wear at night but strong enough to protect your teeth from damage.

Comfort is perhaps the most important part of a night guard. That way, you will not make excuses to avoid wearing it. If you suffer from bruxism and don’t wear your night guard, you could crack, chip, or permanently damage your teeth, resulting in the need for tooth restorations like dental crowns, bridges, or even implants. Investing in a custom night guard now may prevent the need for more expensive tooth restorations in the future.