Grinding and Clenching Your Teeth While You Sleep

Using Mouth Guards to Treat Bruxism

If you’ve ever woken up with unusual amounts of jaw pain or have noticed that your teeth are wearing down over time, you may be experiencing what is known as bruxism, which is excessive grinding of the teeth or clenching of the jaw. Grinding can be caused by stress, anxiety, an abnormal bite, and/or missing or crooked teeth. Unfortunately, it is often involuntary. Occlusal guards help with this by preventing further tooth damage, releasing jaw tension, and reducing gum sensitivity and other problems.

Occlusal guards—also known as night guards—are typically made of acrylic resin and are intended to be worn at night to protect your teeth from grinding. It is most common to wear a guard that covers the top row of teeth, but sometimes a lower one is needed, as well.

At Brocks Gap Dentistry, we custom-make mouth guards from molds of your teeth, helping to ensure a perfect fit. Unlike the over-the-counter options available, which are unlikely to fit properly because no one’s bite is the same, our custom-made mouth guards will fit snugly, so there’s little chance of displacement while you sleep. A custom-made mouth guard will also have a longer life not only because of the superiority of the materials we use but also as a result of a custom fit.

If left untreated, bruxism can lead to sensitive and flattened teeth, and the wearing down of enamel at night can lead to conditions such as degenerative joint disease and/or tooth loss, or the need for crowns, root canals, or tooth extractions. While an occlusal guard will not prevent tooth grinding, it will mitigate the impact of it, and if you suffer from bruxism, getting one is a great choice to help ensure good dental health for years to come.

Mouth Guards for Sports

Are you or your child participating in sports? Baseball, softball, football, soccer, hockey, or any sport where an impact might occur puts your pearly whites at risk. A custom-made mouth guard can avert that risk, though. We’re happy to help you protect your smile from trauma and more here at Brocks Gap Dentistry.