NIGHT GUARDS
Safeguarding smiles as you sleep, protecting teeth from the grind of the night
Night Guards
We take our teeth lightly sometimes. Our grin is one of our most valuable possessions, but we don’t always take care of it. Decayed or weak teeth often need orthodontic repair. Poor oral hygiene and dental floss aren’t the only things that might create difficulties. Our jaw puts pressure on our teeth, which may harm us over time.
Nightguards are a widespread and efficient approach to preventing teeth from destruction done by nocturnal clenching. Our dental specialists provide high-quality Night Guards to our customers to help them keep their teeth and live comfortably.
What is a Night Guard?
A night guard is a brace worn over the teeth while sleeping to defend them from the stresses of clinching and crushing entirely.
These virtual devices, called occlusal splints, bite guards, and muscle relaxation gadgets, may safeguard the enamel and teeth from wear, cracking, and breaking over time. Bruxism (tooth grinding) may lead to irritation, discomfort, discolouration, and even gum recession.
It’s feasible to control teeth grinding throughout the day, but you can’t constantly prohibit yourself from tightening and smoothing at night.
A night guard may help avoid some of the harm that overnight grinding can inflict. TMD, or TMJ discomfort, maybe be relieved with guards.
What causes you to grind your teeth?
Bruxism is often a “multifactorial” illness, meaning several distinct variables may cause it. The following are some of the most common reasons for tooth grinding/bruxism:
Breathing problems during sleep (sleep apnea)
Children and teenagers with ADHD
Nervousness and unhappiness
Pressure levels are high, and the anxiety tolerance is inadequate.
Bad bite/occlusion (when the upper and lower teeth do not fit properly)
Trauma to the mouth and jaw may be chronic or acute.
The influence of one’s genes
Delays in the transmission of brain signals
Huntington’s and Parkinson’s illnesses are examples of neurodegenerative diseases.
Addiction to pharmaceuticals such as antidepressants, amphetamines, anti-anxiety medications, or antipsychotics
Use of Nicotine
Use of alcohol regularly.
Excessive coffee consumption
Night Guards Come in a Variety of Shapes and Sizes
There are five different sorts of night guards to choose from. Our dentists advise against using an over-the-counter sleep guard for more than two weeks.
The following are examples of night guards:
Stock mouth guards (over-the-counter) – Stock mouth guards are the only kind of night guard that does not allow for a personalized fit.
It is possible to boil and shape an over-the-counter night guard with an imprint kit so that you may get a custom fit. They are constructed of a thermoplastic substance that can be moulded into any shape.
Dental professionals recommend soft night guards (professional fit) for moderate bruxism, which dentists give the most frequent night guard. They are usually thin and flexible. Your dentist will take physical or digital imprints of your teeth and send them to a lab for fabrication of your night guard.
Dual laminate night guards are, also known as bilaminar night guards, may be utilized for those who suffer from severe bruxism. Some sources say they are “splints” rather than actual night guards. They have a soft inner and a rigid exterior layer of ethylene-vinyl acetate and polycarbonate.
Nightguard made of hard acrylic (professional fit). Hard night guards are made of cured acrylic and come in various colours. They are used for exceptionally severe instances of bruxism.
They may be more beneficial to TMJ sufferers than other treatments. Brutal acrylic sleep guards are utilized for straightening the jaw.
A dual laminate night guard fitted explicitly by your dentist is the ideal night guard for grinding. A gentle night guard may be a less costly alternative to explore if your grinding is light. They’re the perfect night guards for short-term grinding.
To get the most out of your night guard, ensure it contacts all of your teeth (not partial arches). Partial-coverage night guards may damage your teeth by creating biting issues.
How can I get used to sleeping with a Night Guard?
Getting acclimated to sleeping with a night guard might be challenging. The size of a new dental gadget or an uncomfortable fit is often to a fault.
To get used to sleeping with a nightguard, do the following:
Wear your night guard throughout the day for the first several days to get acclimated to the sensation.
If feasible, ask your dentist about a thinner substance.
If your night guard is causing you pain or discomfort, talk to your dentist about adjusting the fit.
At the start, merely wear the top or bottom section of the night guard.
For the next 30 days, don’t give up.
If you’re still experiencing problems after a month, you may want to consider other options than a nightguard.
Unfortunately, a nightguard that isn’t adequately fitted might make sleeping more difficult. A thick night guard might restrict your airway by opening up the vertical dimension of your mouth.
Because their airway is already constricted, people with sleep apnea may find it more challenging to sleep with a night guard than with an ordinary person. In many circumstances, the night guard is a bandage for the underlying issue, which must be addressed to get adequate sleep.
Try mouth taping if you have sleep apnea and have just begun wearing a nightguard. This may assist in reducing mouth breathing and the effects of dry mouth.
How do you look after your Night Guard?
The most straightforward approach to care for your night guard, like other dental devices, is to keep it wet while not in use to minimize bacteria growth.
To look after your night guard, do the following:
The night guard should be rinsed with lukewarm water (no wash) for about 20 seconds every morning before use.
When not in use, immerse the night guard in 34 glasses of water with 1 tsp of baking soda. (Use a stainless-steel container for the best results.)
To get rid of germs, immerse your night guard in a solution of water, baking soda, and white vinegar once a week for 15-20 minutes.
Brushing your night guard is not a good idea. Micro abrasions created by a toothbrush may harbour germs.
Use an ultrasonic cleaning to safeguard your night guard from corrosion and infection effectively.
Dish soap or the dishwasher may be used to thoroughly clean your case once a week at the very least.
Effervescent cleansers, such as Polydent or Efferdent, should be avoided. Some persons may have adverse responses to these ADA-approved cleansers.
Bruxism and Sleep Apnea
The most prevalent reason for bruxism is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Up to a third of all teeth grinding may be caused by this severe type of sleep-disordered breathing.
When you stop breathing because of sleep apnea, your brain may try to wake you up by grinding your teeth together.
People with OSA may grind their teeth due to their poor sleep.
You may want to avoid using a nightguard if you have sleep apnea, which may cause teeth grinding. A night guard may obstruct the essential grinding reaction in the worst-case scenario. When you have apnea, your brain employs grinding to open the airway, and a nightguard may prevent this.
A night guard can also prevent your teeth from grinding, but it doesn’t safeguard your grinding muscles from misuse and injury.
It’s critical to collaborate with your healthcare team to treat sleep apnea or another kind of sleep-disordered breathing as the fundamental cause of your problems.