Custom Dental Night Guards in Sherman, TX
Bruxism, also known as teeth grinding and jaw clenching, is a relatively common occurrence. It's estimated that as many as 15% of Americans suffer from the condition.
Around 80% of bruxism cases occur while the patient is asleep, which can cause disruptions to their rest as well as damage to their teeth. Oftentimes, people have bruxism and don't realize it until it's too late.
Do you wake up in the morning with a sore jaw, sore teeth, or a headache? You could have bruxism. Dental night guards provide a solution to sleep bruxism and can help preserve the function and health of your teeth.
Around 80% of bruxism cases occur while the patient is asleep, which can cause disruptions to their rest as well as damage to their teeth. Oftentimes, people have bruxism and don't realize it until it's too late.
Do you wake up in the morning with a sore jaw, sore teeth, or a headache? You could have bruxism. Dental night guards provide a solution to sleep bruxism and can help preserve the function and health of your teeth.
What Happens During Sleep Bruxism?
When a patient experiences an episode of bruxism while they sleep, the incisors and canines tend to move laterally against each other. In some instances, the molars can also grind together. This can cause damage to the enamel of the teeth and dull the sharpness of the biting surface, leading to tooth erosion.
What Causes Teeth Grinding?
Bruxism, or teeth grinding, can be is linked to a number of factors, including:
- High levels of stress or anxiety
- Consuming too much caffeine before sleep
- Heavy smoking, particularly before sleep
- Family history of the condition
Bruxism rates tend to decrease with age and many patients find that their episodes of the condition tend to rise and fall in line with their stress levels and other contributory factors.
Symptoms of Bruxism
Sleep bruxism can be hard to detect if you're not paying attention to your body's symptoms. There are a few things that you can look out for as indicators of bruxism. The primary signs and indicators of teeth grinding include:
- Tired or tight facial muscles
- Waking with a headache, which seems to originate from the temples
- A jaw that feels sore or tender to the touch
- Pain that feels like earache even though it doesn’t originate from the ear
- Worn tooth enamel
- Increased tooth sensitivity
- Teeth that seem loose, chipped or heavily eroded
- Damage to the soft tissue inside your mouth from chewing
- Indentations on your tongue
If you have a partner, they may well be able to tell you that you are clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth in your sleep.
Although many of the dental symptoms of bruxism may not be evident to you personally they are easily detected at your regularly scheduled dental check-up.
Dental Night Guards
Dental night guards are the primary treatment for patients suffering from bruxism. Although over-the-counter varieties are available, we always recommend custom-fit mouth guards.
Why choose custom-fit night guards?
Custom-fit dental night guards are designed using impressions of your personal teeth so that they fit perfectly and comfortably over the top. They are also usually considerably thinner and lighter than counter-bought alternatives which makes them more discreet, more comfortable and much easier to wear. Many patients can even talk freely while wearing their custom-fit mouthguards.
How are they made?
The impressions that will be used to create your night guard will be made using a special putty that you bite into. This impression is then sent off to the lab where it is used to create a mold for your night guard. The guard itself is created from special dental plastic that is transparent.
Wearing a dental night guard
For the best results, your dental nightguard should be worn regularly as this will ensure that your teeth aren’t left unprotected for long periods of time. It may feel strange at first, but you will soon become accustomed to wearing it. Just as you clean your teeth, you should also clean your dental night guard daily to prevent the accumulation of any bacteria.
If you grind or clench your teeth at night, or if you suspect you do and just aren’t sure, Dr. Sam would be happy to help you. We can schedule a consultation appointment that will include a dental examination, where we can diagnose and begin treating your bruxism. Make an appointment with Dr. Sam and the team today at 903-708-6400.
If you grind or clench your teeth at night, or if you suspect you do and just aren’t sure, Dr. Sam would be happy to help you. We can schedule a consultation appointment that will include a dental examination, where we can diagnose and begin treating your bruxism. Make an appointment with Dr. Sam and the team today at 903-708-6400.
