Night Guards and Bruxism Explained

Night Guards are recommended for patients who suffer from bruxism (teeth grinding). Bruxism usually happens while people are asleep and clench their teeth. Bruxism can be painful for some and others may not even realize they are grinding their teeth. The following factors contribute to how much pain bruxism can cause:

• How much stress you are under
• How long and tightly you clench and grind
• Whether your teeth are misaligned
• Your posture
• Your ability to relax
• Your diet
• Your sleeping habits

At Steinway Family Dental Center we custom fit a night guard for each individual patient. These simple devices can protect the surface of your teeth, and prevent severe jaw pain. Night guards allow you to be more conscious of the movement of your teeth, especially the tendency to clench. This is why night guards are the recommended choice for patients with bruxism.

Mouth Guards

Mouth guards should be used by anyone who plays contact sports. Using a mouth guard, can help limit the risk of mouth-related injuries to your lips, teeth, tongue, and soft tissues of your mouth. Mouth guards also help you avoid chipped or broken teeth, nerve damage to a tooth and even tooth loss. Usually, mouth guards are only made to cover your upper teeth however if you wear braces, your dentist can make a mouth guard for the lower teeth as well.