Night Guards | Scottsdale Dental Services

The use of a night guard every time you sleep is an excellent way to combat the bothersome habit of nighttime teeth grinding. The earlier you catch the damage, the better your prognosis. If you think the trouble or expense of a dental night guard isn’t worth it, or you aren’t entirely sure grinding is the cause of increasingly shorter teeth, headaches, jaw pain, or disturbed sleep patterns, it’s probably time to visit us at Scottsdales Dentist. Based on the amount of damage and the symptoms you describe, we can determine whether a night mouth guard is right for you.

Creating Your Dental Night Guard

Once our doctors determine that you’re a good candidate for a Dental Night Guard, he will create one that’s custom-made for your mouth. A professionally made night guard for teeth is composed of soft material and slides over one row of your teeth. Once your dental night guard is in place, you can sleep soundly knowing that even if you do grind your teeth once you’re asleep, your upper and lower teeth will be protected from further damage.

If a Dental Night Guard is recommended for you and you don’t have the funds, discuss your options. Believe it or not, your dentist is on your side! Many dental offices will set up payment plans or work with you to help you to get the dental treatment or dental night guard you need.

Are You a Night-Grinder?

Most people who grind their teeth at night don’t even realize it. If you think you might be a night-grinder, ask yourself some questions. Does it seem that your teeth are fitting together in new and perplexing ways? Are you sure that you don’t have cavities, but you still experience sensitive teeth that look like they’ve been filed down? Does your sleep partner complain that sleeping next to you is akin to the sound of fingernails scraping along a chalkboard? Do you experience frequent headaches or migraines? Does your jaw ache (TMJ)?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you could be suffering from bruxism. Bruxism is not an uncommon nighttime phenomena. It may be mild and sporadic or seemingly unending and frequent. And sure, during times of intense duress, some of you may even find yourself grinding away during waking hours.

The big difference is that during waking hours, it’s easy to correct behavior as you notice it. But spending every night unknowingly grinding in your sleep can lead to cracked, worn teeth and even tooth loss.

The most effective solution for preventing bruxism is by wearing a custom fit night guard.

Causes and Next Steps

Although the causes of tooth-grinding aren’t fully known, stress may be a contributing factor. Other schools of thought chock this condition up to sleeping problems, crooked or missing teeth, or malocclusion.

What is known, is that those who grind or clench their teeth often wake with pain in their facial region and teeth. The teeth of those who grind are prone to damage such as cracks, factures and even tooth erosion of the dentin (the soft area underneath the tooth’s enamel). If you suspect you or someone you love is a tooth-grinder, make an appointment to see us right away. A night guard could be the solution that puts an end to the pain and damage.

We also offer NTI-tss Plus Guards for Migraine Relief

The NTI-tss Plus™ protects teeth, muscles and joints by suppressing parafunctional muscle contraction by almost 70%. Originally developed to prevent migraine pain, the NTI-tss Plus is proven to be a superior alternative to full coverage bite guards.

The NTI-tss Plus also gives dentists a way to simply and effectively treat patients suffering from tension and migraine headaches by reducing the intensity of jaw clenching while the patient sleeps.

Remember, your teeth deserve a rest, and so do you. Whether you’re going through a difficult phase or not, the damage that you may be doing can mean expensive repairs down the road. That’s why it’s always advised to find out whether you need a dental night guard earlier rather than later.

Call Scottsdales Dentist at 480-948-1720 to set up your next dental appointment. When in doubt, keep in mind that prevention with a Dental Night Guard today may very well mean peace-of-mind and a better financial situation tomorrow!