Did you know that tooth grinding, or bruxism, is a common problem that can lead to serious dental damage? In fact, many people grind their teeth without even realising it! If you think you might be grinding your teeth at night, it’s important to protect your smile.
Luckily, there are lots of ways to prevent and treat bruxism. One way is by wearing a custom-fit mouth guard while you sleep.
If you’re interested in trying out a mouth guard for bruxism, keep reading for some tips on how to choose the right one for you.
Content Navigation
- 1 How Do Custom Mouth Guards Work When You Have Bruxism?
- 2 What Is Involved In The Process Of Getting A Mouth Guard For Bruxism?
- 3 How To Clean Your Mouth Guards?
- 4 Why Should You Treat Or Manage Bruxism?
- 5 Possible Causes Of Bruxism
- 6 Other Treatment Options For Bruxism
- 7 The Cost Of Custom Mouth Guards In New South Wales
- 8 Final Thoughts
How Do Custom Mouth Guards Work When You Have Bruxism?
Bruxism can result in a variety of problems. Common symptoms of teeth grinding include tooth pain, headaches, muscle tightness, jaw pain, and damaged teeth. A mouth guard is designed to prevent these problems.
Most cases of bruxism can be easily treated by wearing a night guard on your teeth while sleeping. Night guards are also called dental guards, mouth guards, nocturnal bite plates, and bite splints. They function by acting as a barrier between your lower and upper teeth. When you clench your jaw, the mouth guard helps to relieve tension and cushion the jaw muscles. This cushioning not only relieves facial and jaw pain, but it also protects your tooth enamel.
You can purchase night guards over-the-counter without a dentist’s prescription. But these options may not work for everyone since OTC mouth guards are not custom-fitted. Our dentist at Burwood Dental Care will perform an oral evaluation and determine which type of occlusal splint will work best for you or your specific needs. The dentist will get impressions of your mouth and then create your custom-fitted mouthguards.
There are a lot of benefits to wearing mouth guards. These may include the following:
Prevents tooth damage. People who experience sleep bruxism unconsciously clench their teeth while sleeping, it can result in chipping or breaking of the teeth. It may also damage fillings and make the teeth sensitive due to excessive enamel wear. However, wearing night guards helps prevent this type of damage. It has already saved a lot of people from the cost of tooth restoration procedures and other dental treatments.
Alleviate headache. Bruxism can cause tension and frequent headaches. Teeth grinding and clenching cause stress in the jaws, ears, and even the head. It’s one reason individuals wake up with headaches in the early morning. With a night guard, the pressure in the teeth and jaw is alleviated, reducing or eliminating headaches.
Reduce the risk of Temporomandibular disorder. TMJ is a disorder in which the muscles we use to chew are tight and sore, and the joint between the jaw and the skull is dysfunctional. TMJ is caused by grinding teeth, which stresses the muscles, nerves, and ligaments around the jaw. A night guard might help decrease muscular tiredness and TMJ pain.
What Is Involved In The Process Of Getting A Mouth Guard For Bruxism?
To offer the optimum fit and optimal protection, custom mouth guards are deliberately constructed to match the patient’s teeth and bite. The patient will need to go to the dentist to have their teeth impressions taken. This procedure is straightforward and takes about 15 minutes.
Making an impression. Over-the-counter mouth guards differ from those made by the dentist because custom-made night guards are tailored to fit the patient precisely. This is achieved by taking a mouth impression; a negative copy of the lower and upper teeth is made so that a plaster cast can be made from it. The cast, also known as the model cast or mould, is used by the dental laboratory to create the customised night guard.
Creating the mouth guards. Dental impressions are important in the fabrication of the night guard. The material (soft, dual laminated, or hard acrylic) is shaped around the mould to provide an exact fit between the lower and upper teeth. The night guard can be customised to fit either the lower or upper teeth. Following the fabrication of the night guard, the mould is used to test the fit and alignment of the bite. Whenever necessary, minor adjustments are made.
Delivery. The night guards are sent to the patients with proper wear and care instructions as soon as they are finished. They come with a case in which they can be stored while not in use. Since the night guards are made from the cast created from the dental impression, there is very little variation. They should fit snugly and comfortably, and they should be stable in the arch. It should not rock or press on any area of the mouth, causing pain and discomfort.
How To Clean Your Mouth Guards?
Non-abrasive toothpaste and toothbrush
A soft-bristled toothbrush and nonabrasive toothpaste can be used to clean your mouthguard. To avoid cross-contamination of bacteria, keep a separate toothbrush for this purpose.
Hard brushes and abrasive toothpastes should be avoided since they can damage your mouthguard.
- Rinse the mouth guard with cool water.
- Put a small amount of toothpaste on your mouthguard.
- Gently scrub the mouthguard with a soft-bristled toothbrush.
- Rinse thoroughly with cool water and let it dry.
- Store or transport the mouth guard in a firm, perforated container. This allows for air circulation and prevents damage.
- Mouthguards that are made with acrylic material should be kept in freshwater.
Mild soap and water
- Rinse your mouth guard with cool water.
- Put a small amount of soap on your mouthguard.
- With a toothbrush, gently scrub the mouthguard until it is soapy.
- Rinse the mouthguard thoroughly to remove all the suds.
- Let the mouthguard air dry.
Mouthwash
Baking soda
- To make a paste, combine baking soda and water equally in a clean bowl.
- Dip a toothbrush in the paste and brush the mouthguard gently.
- Use cool water to rinse them.
- Let the mouthguard dry.
Why Should You Treat Or Manage Bruxism?
Severe grinding can result in fracturing, loosening, or loss of teeth. Loose teeth can create spaces in the gum lines that may attract bacteria to grow and eventually cause gum recession. Gum recession is a condition in which the gums pull back from the tooth surface, exposing the roots. This issue can eventually lead to tooth loss.
Moreover, chronic clenching can wear down your teeth, and dental restorations such as bridges, crowns, implants, root canals, and dentures may be required to restore your damaged teeth.
Severe bruxism can not only result in broken teeth or tooth loss, but it can also negatively impact your jaws, leading to or worsening temporomandibular disorder, affecting your overall appearance and proper function of the jaws.
Possible Causes Of Bruxism
- Emotional issues such as stress, being anxious, and frustration.
- Concentration
- Dental problems like misaligned teeth (poor bite) and missing teeth.
- Lifestyle habits include smoking, too much coffee consumption, drinking alcohol, and using recreational drugs.
- Certain medications
- Sleep apnea
Other Treatment Options For Bruxism
In severe cases, where tooth wear has caused sensitivity or the inability to chew properly, your dentist may need to reshape the chewing surfaces of your teeth or use dental crowns to fix the damage.
Other treatments may include:
Stress management
Biofeedback
Jaw exercise
Treatment for associated disorders
Bruxism can be caused by underlying health conditions such as sleep apnea or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The grinding of teeth may be improved by diagnosing and treating associated disorders.
As with any medical condition, determining the root cause of the problem is critical in order to identify a suitable treatment. If you are suffering from bruxism symptoms, consult with a dentist to determine which treatment options are best for you.
The Cost Of Custom Mouth Guards In New South Wales
Final Thoughts
The force of unconsciously clenching and grinding your teeth is powerful enough to cause damage to your teeth. That is why the most well-known treatment for bruxism is a custom mouth guard. This dental appliance functions as a physical barrier between the upper teeth and lower teeth to minimise the pressure of grinding and give cushioning to the teeth.
There are also night guards available in stores, but since they are one-size-fits-all, they may tend to cause discomfort in some areas of your mouth.
If you have any questions about bruxism or dental mouthguards, please don’t hesitate to ask a dental professional. Call Burwood Dental Care at 03 7034 0333 right away, we are here to improve quality of life by helping you maintain good dental health.
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