Night Guard Fabrication
If you’ve ever awakened with pain in your TMJ or sore jaw muscles, or noticed that your teeth seem flatter than they were years ago, you may be grinding your teeth. It is necessary that the dentist diagnose the problem so that you can get some sort of relief.
Bruxism is the forceful clenching and grinding of the teeth that results in considerable wear on the teeth, puts unnecessary pressure on the muscles of the jaws causing neck/jaw/head/ear pain, can cause cracks in the teeth that can result in periodontal issues and sensitivity/pain. While there may not be a known cause for bruxism, stress seems to play a large role. Bruxers usually do not consciously realize they are grinding their teeth, and in most cases, it is happening at night.
Relief can come in a few different forms, the least invasive of which is a night guard. In order to make a night guard, we will take molds of your teeth. The night guard is a piece of acrylic that fits over your teeth to avoid wear on your actual teeth. Although you still may be grinding, the night guard helps protect the teeth from bruxism associated problems. We may discuss more aggressive forms of treatment if need be.
