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Night guards are the best way to prevent premature tooth wear and tear from teeth grinding (bruxism) at Tuttle Family Dentistry. Another benefit of night guards is that they can also help prevent bruxism-related health issues like TMJ/TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder). Call your Colorado Springs dentist today for a night guard consultation.
If you notice yourself grinding your teeth at night or your sleeping partner tells you they can hear you grinding your teeth, you are likely a good candidate for a night guard. With a night guard, you can prevent premature tooth wear and damage, which is very common in people who grind their teeth for an extended period of time without getting treatment.
If you are experiencing jaw issues, headaches, or pain, you may be a good candidate for a night guard. Teeth grinding can result in problems with your jaw muscles and joints. This is because your jaw is not meant to be clenched and under stress for extended periods of time. However, a properly-fitted night guard will relieve tension, reduce grinding, and help to resolve these issues, which could otherwise cause a lot of pain and discomfort over your lifetime.
Impressions will be taken to fabricate your custom night guard. The guard will be made with hard acrylic to protect your teeth and decompress your jaw joint in order to help relieve tension, headaches, muscle aches, and damage to the teeth and restorative work that is caused by clenching and grinding.
There is usually a small ramp near the center of the guard around the anterior teeth that helps to prevent clenching and activation of the jaw muscles. If you grind down the ramp, acrylic can later be added, instead of making a new night guard altogether. It’s important that you bring your guard to your regular checkups so that it can be examined to ensure it is still fitting properly and doing its job.
When you wake up in the morning, you should immediately remove your night guard and brush it, then lay it on a clean surface to dry before putting it back into its case. You should also brush your teeth at this time.
Beyond this, all you have to do is deep clean your night guard once a week. The simplest way to do this is to use over-the-counter denture cleaning tablets. Put your night guard in some water, drop in a denture tablet, and let it work according to the packaging instructions.
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