Hi, I'm Dr. Amy at Boulder Canyon Dental. Today, I'm going to be answering a couple of common questions about night guards in hopes of giving you a better understanding of what they are, what they are used for, and why you may need them.
What is a night guard and how does it help protect teeth?
A night guard is essentially a splint for your teeth. It's made out of an acrylic material. It's going to fit over either the upper or lower teeth and it's essentially sitting in between. A night guard is an acrylic device that sits in between your teeth. It absorbs any unnecessary unwanted forces so they aren't absorbed by the teeth and the surrounding tissues.
What are the most common reasons someone might need a night guard?
The most common reason someone may need a night guard is if they're someone who is grinding or clenching their teeth, if they've had a lot of periodontal disease in the past, or someone with a really high-stress lifestyle. Any kind of ear ringing or ear pain would also be an indication that you may be clenching your teeth and would benefit from a night guard.
How does a night guard help with teeth grinding?
A night guard helps with teeth grinding by absorbing all of that unwanted traumatic force so it's not causing damage to your teeth, tissues around, ligaments, and bone. It's all absorbed within that acrylic material. It also opens the mouth enough so that all of the surrounding muscles are pulling evenly on the jaw to protect and support the jawbone so you don't have any kind of joint pain.
What are the benefits of using a night guard for TMD?
The benefits of using a night guard for TMD are that it really alleviates symptoms. So it can decrease your pain. It decreases damage to the teeth and surrounding structures. And most patients notice that a night with a night guard versus a night without is significantly more comfortable. Waking up without neck pain, waking up without ear pain, and waking up without that constant cold sensitivity in the teeth.
What is TMD?
TMD simply stands for temporomandibular dysfunction. We all have a TMJ, that joint that allows our jaw to move to speak and eat. And dysfunction just refers to any kind of disorder which could be pain, popping, clicking, not necessarily painful, but something where the joint isn't working as it should be.
Can a night guard help with snoring or sleep apnea?
Night guards typically do not help with snoring or sleep apnea. A person who is snoring or has sleep apnea has something obstructing their airway, and a night guard would actually add to the problem by adding more things in the way. A night guard is not recommended therapy for someone who is snoring or has sleep apnea. There are other oral devices that can help open the airway and alleviate those symptoms. Night guard is not one of them.
What are the differences between over-the-counter and custom night guards?
The differences between over-the-counter and custom night guards are really longevity and comfort. Something you get over the counter is great in the short term. If you've left yours and you're on vacation, if you're not sure if you can tolerate it and you want to give it a try for a couple nights, it's going to give you some benefit but it doesn't fit as accurately to your teeth, which means it can deform over time. It could cause shifting of the teeth. It's also going to wear out faster, cracking, and breaking. Whereas a custom fit that we would make here in our office is fit to exactly form around the position of your current teeth. It's also a stronger material that's going to hold up longer over time and be a great investment for you.
Are there specific night guards for teeth grinding versus teeth clenching?
There are specific night guards for different disorders in terms of clenching and grinding. It could be that you're someone who is grinding because of a temporomandibular dysfunction, and it's causing symptoms.
What are the symptoms of teeth grinding?
Symptoms of teeth grinding include wear, flattened teeth, shorter teeth over time, increased sensitivity to temperature, and general pain. It could also be something where you aren't aware of it but when we come in and start feeling tension in your neck, tension in the chewing muscles, all of that could be signs of regular grinding.
Can lifestyle cause grinding?
Lifestyle absolutely can cause grinding. Grinding is a symptom, ultimately of stress. A person's lifestyle can cause grinding or clenching. Grinding and clenching is essentially the body's way of dealing with stress. It may not be stress that you're aware of, but it is subconsciously there. And that is how your body is unwinding that toy and releasing that stress and tension over time.
How do I clean a night guard?
Cleaning a night guard is very simple. After you're finished brushing your teeth in the evening, simply rinse your brush. Take that same brush and disrupt any kind of bacteria by scrubbing around the inside of the night guard. It also helps if you bring it in with you for your regular cleanings and we could do a deep ultrasonic cleaning on that here in our office.
How do I store my night guard when I'm not using it?
When you're not using your night guard, we recommend keeping it in the container provided to you with a little bit of water. This helps keep it hydrated as well as prevent bacterial growth.
Do dental insurances cover night guards?
Dental insurances sometimes cover night guards. It's important that you always review your policy and we're happy to help you by calling us at (970) 514-0662 to find out if you do have coverage.
How do you determine the best night guard for me?
I would determine the best night guard for you by first going over any symptoms, also completing a full medical and dental exam, and reviewing any images. That way, we can figure out exactly what the cause is. In cases of extreme pain and muscle spasm, you do require an initial night guard followed by a separate design after we get those muscles back under control.
Can children or teens use night guards for teeth grinding?
Teens can absolutely use night guards. Night guards are best suited for adults. However, we do have many teens with high-stressful lives who do benefit from wearing night guards. We typically don't recommend night guards for children due to the fact that they still have some baby teeth and their dentition is constantly changing. It's really difficult to get them something that is a true fit, and they would just be coming in monthly to get a new design.
Is children grinding normal? Should I be concerned?
Most children experience dental grinding as they're getting their new teeth erupting. It is something that is common, but is something that we recommend parents watch closely. If your child is grinding and it's something that you could hear outside in the hallway with their bedroom door closed at night, then that is a time when we would recommend you do more testing to find out if it is a level of sleep apnea or if it is truly just normal growing pains of grinding.
What should I do if my night guard causes discomfort or doesn't fit?
If your night guard causes discomfort or doesn't fit, you should call our office immediately. We always want you to come back in so we can evaluate it if it is the right style for you, if it's the right position, or if it's something we just need to tweak to make it more comfortable.
How do you make night guards at Boulder Canyon Dental?
Here at Boulder Canyon Dental, we 3D print all of our night guards. The process starts by you coming in. We use a camera to make a 3D model of your teeth, design everything on a computer, and then 3D print it so it's able to be picked up within 48 hours.
Do I have to get a gooey impression to get a night guard?
At Boulder Canyon Dental, you never get a gooey impression for anything. We are a fully digital office for the benefit of our patients and also to create the most accurate fit at the end of the day.
What if I can't tolerate a night guard? Do I have other options?
If you can't tolerate a night guard, you have plenty of options. Here at Boulder Canyon Dental, we also offer Botox therapy to help weaken all of those chewing muscles and help stop the clenching and grinding problem right at the source.
If you're clenching, grinding, or someone has told you that you may be, give us a call here at Boulder Canyon Dental at (970) 514-0662. We're happy to help.
I hope I've been able to answer your questions about night guards. If you have additional questions or if you think you'd be interested in getting a night guard, please give us a call at (970) 514-0662. We're here to help.