At Canyon Gate Dental in Orem, Lindon, and Vineyard, we have been helping patients prevent dental problems for decades. Teeth grinding or dental bruxism is a common condition that can be extremely damaging and costly. One way to protect your teeth against teeth grinding is a mouth guard.
Causes of Teeth Grinding
Two of the main causes of teeth grinding are anxiety and stress. Stress often causes people to clench their jaw or grind their teeth. Fortunately, during the day it is possible to recognize you are doing this and to stop. During the night it’s a much more difficult habit to control. The stress and anxiety from the day can still take its toll on your teeth and health. Other causes of teeth grinding include sleep disorders, an abnormal bite, and jaw joint problems.
The Dangers of Grinding
Grinding is often accompanied by a variety of symptoms. You may experience acute or dull headaches, jaw soreness, painful teeth and gums, broken dental work, broken teeth, and worn teeth. In some cases, you may not even realize that these symptoms are happening. The problem could go undiagnosed for years and you may only realize you’ve been doing it once significant damage has been done. We’ve had patients come to our office with worn teeth, 2mm shorter than they should be, denying that they are teeth grinders, despite the evidence. In these cases, the damage is so extensive that full reconstruction, crowns on every tooth, is often required. This type of treatment is not cheap. If you suspect you might be grinding your teeth, it is important to visit us as soon as possible.
The Night Guard
A night guard is a plastic device that fits to your teeth, either the top or the bottom. ideally , it is customized to fit your mouth and should feel comfortable and stable in your mouth. The night guard allows you to move your mouth, but keeps the teeth from coming into contact with each other, preventing any kind of grinding.
There are several different types of night guards. The cheapest and of low quality can be bought in your local drug store. You must boil them and bit into them to form them to your mouth. The next step up are the night guards you can send away for via online businesses that send you impression kits. The best type of night guard can be obtained from a dental office. These types of night guards are customized by a professional dental team to fit your mouth. Professionally made night guards are the most comfortable and most effective type to use against grinding. We consider our prices to be quite low, as inexpensive as possible, especially when you take into account that the damage resulting from not protecting your teeth can be astronomical.
Benefits of the Night Guard
At Canyon Gate Dental, we first like to do a thorough examination of our patient’s mouth to determine if grinding is an issue. If it is apparent that grinding and clenching is a problem, we will likely recommend a night guard to prevent further damage and to alleviate many of the symptoms of grinding and clenching. It is best to be honest with your dentist and maintain an attitude of prevention. At Canyon Gate Dental, we can help you protect your smile and save you thousands of dollars in restorative dental work by fitting your for a night guard.
