Have you ever experienced pain and headaches when waking up in the morning after a good night's sleep? If yes, then you might be grinding your teeth in your sleep, otherwise known as bruxism. The good news is that there is a solution to your teeth-grinding problems: a night guard.
In this blog, we learn all about night guards, the benefits they offer, and how they help you attain better overall oral health and hygiene while also looking at some potential drawbacks.
Night Guard
These are tailor-made orthodontic devices that are designed to be worn at night during sleep. Night guards are offered in various materials, and thickness options like hard, soft, or hybrid with tailored fitting for ideal comfort, protection, and effectiveness.
Night Guards prevent teeth from grinding and clenching (bruxism) which is a kind of sleep disorder. They also help you align your jaw position slightly forward which enables better airflow, delivers quality sleep, and reduces your snoring as well.
Custom Night Guards
These are custom-made orthodontic devices crafted by dentists or orthodontic suppliers. These are designed especially for your unique dental structure and mouth. Custom night guards use superior medical grade materials (BPA-free) which ensure greater protection and comfort than regular generic (OTC) night guards.
According to a research study by NIH “ Night guards (Mandibular Advancement Devices) improved conditions of OSAHS (moderate or mild obstructive sleep apnea) syndrome”.
Benefits
There are a wide range of benefits of using a custom night guard. Some of these benefits include:
- Reduces teeth grinding & clenching
- Prevents tooth damage and sensitivity
- Eases jaw pain and headache with bruxism
- Better airflow, sleep quality, and reduces snoring
- Alleviate or prevent TMJ (Temporomandibular) symptoms
- Protect your teeth alignment work or orthodontic work
Limit ations of Night Guard
There are some limitations of night guards, which include:
- Difficulty or discomfort in getting used to wearing your night guards
- It might reduce or cause dry mouth or excess saliva production
- Grinding might cause permanent damage to the night guard
- Not a proper solution for eliminating or solving teeth clenching and grinding
- Regular maintenance and cleaning are needed for proper night guard function
Giving due attention to your dentist or night guard supplier’s advice regarding care and proper maintenance can greatly reduce the above problems. However, it is crucial to have knowledge about the limitations of a night guard.
Just be prepared to know that your night guard will wear out or have some issues, so always check their condition regularly and consult with your dentist or night guard supplier if you need replacements.
If your night guard problems become extreme or problematic, be sure to notify your dentist or night guard supplier so that they can solve your problems and ensure better results with night guard usage.
Cost of Night Guard
You can easily obtain a generic night guard from your local drugstore for your teeth-grinding needs. However, these use inferior materials and often don’t provide great protection against teeth grinding (bruxism).
The cost of a custom night guard can vary greatly depending on whether you get yours from a dentist or from Smilepath. Custom night guard prices usually range from $150 to $300.
Which Night Guard is Suitable for Me?
Choosing the right night guard for your unique needs and lifestyle can be quite a hassle. Here are some steps that you can take under the guidance of a dentist to select the right night guard.
Schedule Consultation with a Dentist or Orthodontist
A dentist or orthodontist can properly examine teeth and determine whether you need a night guard for teeth protection. If you have TMJ (Temporomandibular) or bruxism, your dentist may recommend a custom night guard.
Select from Various Night Guard Options
Your dentist or orthodontist might provide you with various options for night guard with diverse benefits. Hard night guards offer better protection and durability while soft night guards provide more comfort. You can order quality custom night guards from Smilepath.
Analyse your Bruxism Severity
The level of teeth grinding or TMJ (Temporomandibular) symptoms will determine what kind of night guard suits you best. If you are a heavy grinder and constantly grind your teeth during your sleep then a hard plastic night guard is recommended. On the other hand, if you suffer from moderate bruxism, a soft or hybrid night guard might be enough.
Obtain a Custom Night Guard
Tailor-made night guards are especially desired for covering the contours of your teeth efficiently, providing ideal comfort and effectiveness. Your dentist or night guard supplier will take your unique teeth impression through an impression kit.
Afterward, your dentist or night guard supplier will send your dental impression to a laboratory to obtain the perfect night guard.
Night Guard Usage Recommendation
Your dentist or night guard supplier will provide you with ideal night guard usage instructions and maintenance tips. It is crucial that you follow these night guard related recommendations to ensure the effectiveness and longevity of your orthodontic device.
Maintaining Your Night Guard
You need to ensure that your night guard remains in the best possible condition for delivering the best protection. Therefore it is recommended to maintain your night guard hygiene by using a soft toothbrush with non-abrasive soap.
Regularly rinse your night guard with cold water and store it in a proper durable container. Furthermore, ensure that you keep your night guard away from extreme temperatures or hot water as it can result in warping damage.
You must take care of your night guard and check it daily for any possible damages. If you find it has been chipped or damaged, contact your dentist or night guard supplier immediately for evaluation or replacement as needed .
SMILEPATH: Your Ideal Night Guard Supplier
Bruxism (teeth grinding) can limit you from attaining a good night’s sleep. As a result, you might suffer from tooth decay or chipping if you don’t adopt a custom night guard. You can get guaranteed protection from teeth grinding by getting your tailored night guard from Smilepath. They offer night guards for mild to moderate or heavy teeth grinders by providing you with soft, hard, or hybrid night guard options.
Adopting night guard devices offers many advantages, but they might not suit your lifestyle. If your dentist recommends that you use a night guard, all efforts to maintain it in the best condition can greatly enhance your dental health while offering you superior night rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Night guards are orthodontic devices that are designed to reduce bruxism (teeth grinding) and help reduce symptoms of TMJ.
There are different night guards available in the market including soft, hard and hybrid variations. Soft night guards are for mild grinding issues, hard ones are for severe teeth clenchers, whereas the the hybrid night guard offers the combination of comfort and protection. Consult your dentist to determine which one will suit you the best.
You can obtain your custom night guard either from a dentist or online through at-home night guard suppliers like Smilepath.