Night Guards Do Protect Against Bruxism.

A very common condition that many people are affected by is bruxism

. This is the official term, that dentists use, to describe grinding and clenching your teeth. Typically, it is much more prevalent during the night. Some people are completely unaware that they have this problem. Significant dental implications can arise if bruxism goes untreated. I see many patients with broken teeth, fractured crowns, and TMJ problems as a direct result of their night-time grinding.

What many people do not realize, is that by investing in an appliance called a night guard, they can eliminate thousands of dollars in future dental treatment needs. If your dentist has been telling you for years that you grind your teeth, you should listen, and strongly consider getting a night-time appliance. In my experience, the initial cost of the guard is far less expensive than the treatment that will be needed if you continue to go unprotected. A very common problem that arises due to grinding or clenching is fractured teeth. Often times, these require a crown in order to restore. On average, a crown costs 2 to 3 times as much as a night guard. Many people who grind their teeth will have multiple teeth restored with crowns. It becomes apparent, from a cost-benefit stand point, that the decision to wear a protective appliance is an easy one.

The next question is, "What type of product should you get?" An important point to remember is that night guards are custom mouth guards. This means that they should be made from a model of your teeth. They should never be "one size fits all" or bought off of a shelf. The best products are about 1-2 mm thick and are made of either a hard acrylic or laminate material.

There is a good reason that I recommend hard materials as opposed to the softer types available. With a hard appliance, as you begin to grind your teeth, you will simply slide around freely on the hard surface. This will allow your jaw joint, musculature, and teeth to remain in harmony which will definitely provide protection. In many cases, the amount of grinding is reduced over time or completely eliminated.

Softer materials can be used, but I do not recommend them. While a soft material does protect the teeth, it does not prevent you from indenting the points of your teeth into the appliance. When you do this, a message is sent back to your brain that something is interfering with the normal function of your jaw joint, musculature and teeth. As a result, your brain tells you to keep grinding, very forcefully, in order to remove the annoying interference. Although you will not wear down your teeth, you have a significant risk of creating jaw joint (TMJ), muscle, and headache problems. These issues can be far more debilitating than the grinding itself.

It is usually best to purchase a night guard directly from your dentist. In doing this, you get a custom fitting product and the benefit of having it adjusted to ensure optimal comfort. That having been said, there are a few good dental labs that make quality, custom, night-time appliances. This gives you the opportunity to buy the same product online that you get from your dentist. The cost, however, is significantly less. As a result, more people are able to afford this valuable level of protection. Just remember to always get the HARD material as opposed to the soft.

by: Johnny Hernandez

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