Dental night guards are one of several treatment methods prescribed by a dentist to address various types of dental disorders. These problems occur during sleep and can cause damage to teeth and overall mouth alignment. Dental night guards are either custom-made or purchased over the counter. The decision regarding which type of dental night guard to use is based on the problem to be corrected.
When Dental Night Guards Are Prescribed
A dentist prescribes dental night guards to treat cases of bruxism, commonly known as teeth grinding. The mouth guards are also used to stop jaw clenching and teeth grinding associated with temporomandibular (TMD and TMJ) disorders.
Causes of Nighttime Dental Disorders
There are many different reasons why people grind their teeth or clench their jaw while sleeping. Stress and anxiety are common causes. Other factors are suppressed anger, missing or crooked teeth and a misaligned or abnormal bite.
Teeth grinding can also occur in people who suffer from Parkinson's disease or Huntington's disease. Young children often suffer from nighttime teeth grinding as their teeth and jaws develop. However, they usually outgrow the problem.
Types of Dental Night Guards
There are two main types of dental night guards: custom and over-the-counter. Custom mouth guards are considered more effective because they are designed specifically for your mouth. Your mouth is measured for the device and it is designed according to the contours of your mouth's interior.
Over-the-counter dental night guards are one-size-fits-all type mouthpieces. As such, they do not match up exactly to your teeth formations. Without an exact fit, generic night guards may not be as comfortable or effective for people who have severe teeth grinding or jaw clenching issues when sleeping. Teeth grinding could also cause them to loosen or fall out, since over-the-counter dental night guards do not provide a tight, snug fit.
Because over-the-counter dental night guards are less expensive than custom-fit ones, many people try them first to see if they alleviate the problem. A popular style is boil-and-bite dental night guards because their construction allows an impression of the teeth to be made. Double-wall construction is better than single-wall because they fit tighter and are similar to custom-made ones. Also select dental night guards made of strong, soft plastic. If damage to the mouth continues, a custom dental night guard should be considered.
How Dental Night Guards Work
A dental night guard slides into your mouth, covering one or both rows of your teeth. The nonbulky mouthpiece is used only while sleeping. Dental night guards are made from soft material and comfortably fit in the mouth to prevent upper and lower teeth from making contact as you sleep.
With some over-the-counter designs, the dental night guard is boiled in hot water so the plastic becomes pliable enough to fit over your upper or lower teeth to make an impression. Once the plastic hardens, the end result is a night guard that matches the alignment of your teeth. Other brands offer self adjusting technology to allow users to fit the device to their mouth.
Relief Provided by Dental Night Guards
Most people don't realize they grind their teeth or clench their jaw while sleeping. But when they awake, they often have facial pain, a headache, an ear ache, jaw pain, sensitive teeth or bleeding cheeks. Their teeth also start showing signs of stress in the form of fractures, cracks, worn-down teeth, tooth enamel erosion and a misaligned jaw. A dental night guard provides relief from these problems and stops any further mouth and jaw damage.
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