What is the Best Night Guard?

Dentists, if they suspect that you have bruxism (a condition in which you grind or clench your teeth at night), will often recommend night guards as an effective treatment plan. Because bruxism can lead to conditions such as temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) and require later orthodontic treatments, dentists provide night guards to protect your teeth while you and your dentist work on ways to treat the underlying problem. Patients who have bruxism often experience anxiety and muscle tension while they are sleeping, which can result in teeth grinding and clenching. Your dentist and your primary care physician can team up to help you make changes in your diet or lifestyle that will decrease both stress and anxiety. As a last resort, your doctor might suggest a muscle relaxant. DO YOU NEED A NIGHT GUARD FROM YOUR OHIO DENTIST? Unfortunately, many patients we see don't know that they clench/grind their teeth at night until after a moderate amount of damage is done. After all, your family members or roommates don't usually run into your room at night to make sure your jaw is loose enough. However, there are some symptoms that might lead to an effective diagnosis. The symptoms of bruxism include:

Headaches
Jaw pain
Hearing loss
Flattened, fractured, chipped, or loose teeth
Facial soreness

If you are experiencing one or more of those symptoms, talk to your Ohio dentist as soon as possible. WHICH TYPE OF NIGHT GUARD WOULD BE BEST FOR YOU? There are two widely used types of night guards that are regularly implemented to preserve beautiful teeth and prevent damage caused by grinding or clenching your teeth at night. At Great Lakes Dental Arts in Mentor, Ohio, we offer both the NTI-tss night guard (which only covers the front two teeth) and the full-coverage gelb (which covers all the teeth and allows the front teeth to touch). The former can be completed with a same-day procedure while the latter requires a two-step process. To be sure about which night guard would work best for you, consult the experts at Great Lakes Dental Arts!