Protect Your Oral Health from Bruxism Using Custom Night Guards
Under normal circumstances, the upper and lower teeth come into brief contact during chewing. Ideally, this contact should not exceed five minutes per day. However, as time passes and the teeth are subjected to years of use, they will naturally experience wear and tear, which can cause minor chips or worn-down bite edges.
Sometimes, teeth may become flattened or fractured without any apparent cause. Your dental X-rays can show thinned enamel as if it’s been sanded down. Using your teeth daily shouldn’t wear down your enamel. Often this is usually a sign of teeth grinding (bruxism). Yerger Family Dental understands the dangers of bruxism and offers immediate treatment before it wreaks havoc on your dental health.
What is bruxism?
Bruxism is the technical term for chronic teeth grinding. Often, bruxism happens subconsciously, so you may not even notice you have a problem. Whether you are aware of bruxism or not, it’s a severe oral condition that needs prompt treatment.
The good news is that Drs. Yerger and Stewart can identify bruxism signs during your dental exams. The common signs and symptoms of bruxism include:
- Morning headaches
- Jaw pain
- Earaches
- Neck pain
- Tooth Sensitivity
- Flattened or fractured teeth
The force exerted by bruxism overworks your jaw and causes you to wake up feeling sore. The tender muscles in your jaws and other oral structures contribute to headaches and other pains.
Treating bruxism with night guards
A custom night guard is one of the best methods to stop teeth grinding. Unlike store-bought dental guards, custom-fitted night guards are ordered from a dentist. After an initial examination, we take your bite impressions and send the molds to a dental lab to fabricate a dental device designed just for you.
A dental guard prevents your upper and lower teeth from meeting, protecting your teeth from the forces of teeth grinding and the need for future restorations. A night guard must be worn throughout the night because it’s impossible to predict when you will grind your teeth. This shouldn’t scare you because our sleeping appliances are so comfortable — you will rarely realize you are wearing them when sleeping.
Bonus tip: Dental night guards prevent bruxism but can’t reverse its effects. If damage has already occurred, we might recommend crowns or fillings to restore your teeth. Nonetheless, even after restoration, it is essential to continue using a night guard to maintain the health of your restored teeth.
Protect your smile today with customized night guards
Call (406) 233-1241 today to book an appointment with Yerger Family Dental for teeth grinding treatment. Drs. Yerger and Stewart offer customized night guards to protect your teeth from bruxism.
