Night Guards
Protect Your Smile With Custom Nightguards
Nightguards, also known as dental guards or mouthguards, are designed to protect your teeth from the damaging effects of grinding. Made from durable, transparent acrylic resin, these oral appliances can be either soft or hard, depending on your needs. To prevent contact between the upper and lower front teeth during sleep, your dentist will recommend wearing the nightguard over the upper front teeth. In cases of severe teeth grinding, a nightguard for the lower teeth may also be advised. Besides offering protection, mouthguards help cushion the jaw muscles, reducing strain and discomfort.
Benefits of Using Night Guards for Bruxism
Bruxism, or the habit of grinding teeth, can occur both during the day and while sleeping. Often triggered by stress, anger, or anxiety, it is usually an unconscious action. However, this habit can have negative effects on your oral health. To protect your teeth, dentists may recommend using a nightguard alongside treatments for anxiety, such as medication or therapy.
While nightguards do not stop teeth grinding entirely, they help prevent damage to fillings, chipping, tooth loosening, and excessive wear of tooth enamel. Additionally, wearing a nightguard can improve sleep quality and reduce the symptoms of bruxism, including:
- Tooth sensitivity or discomfort
- Biting the cheeks
- Receding gums
- Tiredness from interrupted sleep
- Facial discomfort from tight or sore jaw muscles
- Headaches in the temples
