Night Guards are removable appliances that people can wear if they have a habit of grinding or clenching their teeth during sleep. Grinding or clenching of one’s teeth during sleep is called nocturnal bruxism, thus the official term we use for these appliances is a “nocturnal bruxism appliance”. If people clench or grind their teeth at nighttime, they can do a lot of damage in terms of wearing down of their teeth, movement of their teeth, pain/sensitivity of their teeth, and possibly sore jaw joints or facial muscles. It is for these reasons we recommend a small clear acrylic retainer that is rigid and is worn on one’s upper teeth at bedtime.
It is custom made and rigid so it holds the teeth in position preventing movement and wear. The appliance will wear rather than the teeth as it is softer than tooth structure, yet it is rigid enough to prevent tooth movement this acting as a retainer. It also creates a space between your upper and lower jaw joints to take the stress off the cartilage that is there.
We never recommend a store bought, soft self-made retainer as it can lead to an increased habit of clenching and will allow teeth to move orthodontically out of their normal position thus making things worse from a dental standpoint.
What are some signs you might need a night guard? If you wake up in the morning with sore teeth or jaws. You also may notice your teeth are clenched together when you are waking, or you notice the shape or size of your teeth look different than years ago. If you do notice any symptoms like these, please bring it to your dentist’s attention.
(The information contained in this article is strictly for educational purposes and is not meant to replace the professional knowledge or advice of your personal dentist.)
