Mouthguard Spokane, WA
Are you a worrier? All of us worry at one time or another, but some people worry a lot. Sometimes, that worrying manifests itself in a problem every night when we go to sleep. You may be doing a lot of damage to your teeth while you sleep - and not even know it. In fact, without knowing it, you might crack, break, or chip your teeth while you’re sleeping. If you suspect that you might have a problem with your teeth during the night, there is a solution. Let Dynamic Dental Care take a minute to discuss night mouthguards to protect your teeth while you sleep.
Why Do I Need a Mouthguard?
If you think you might need a mouthguard at night, it could be because you have bruxism. Bruxism sounds like a funny word, but there is nothing funny about it. Bruxism is the term for clenching or grinding your teeth at night. If you clench your teeth, you clamp your jaw tightly while you are sleeping. If you are grinding your teeth, you move your teeth back and forth against each other while you sleep. When you first start doing it, you may not cause any damage to your teeth. However, as time goes by, you will begin to notice changes in your teeth and jaw.
There are several signs to look for if you suspect you might be clenching or grinding your teeth at night. One of the earliest signs of bruxism is pain in one or more teeth or your jaw. Your jaw muscles might ache as well, especially if you are clenching your teeth at night. Eventually, you might have trouble with your jaw joint, which would make it hard to open or close the jaw.
The Problem
Whether you are a jaw clencher or a jaw grinder, bruxism is not good for your teeth or your jaws. Clenching or grinding your teeth can cause them to crack, chip or break. Bruxism can also ruin dentures, dental veneers, dental bridges, dental fillings, and braces. You can crack or break all of that dental work as well. Even aligners suffer if they are in your mouth when you are clenching or grinding your teeth. Over time, bruxism can cause real damage. Bruxism can change the way your mouth looks and damage your teeth so much we have no choice but to remove them. No one wants that.
Mouthguards Can Help
There are two different kinds of mouthguards that can be used to treat bruxism. One type of night mouthguard is made of soft plastic. This kind of mouthguard takes the energy from when you bite down or grind your teeth and moves that energy through your entire jaw. This saves your teeth and jaw. If you already have damage from bruxism, we may need to make you a hard mouthguard that prevents you from clamping down or grinding your teeth. Do you have questions about mouthguards used at night? Dynamic Dental Care has answers for you. Give us a call at (509) 466-2587. Let us talk to you about how we can help you stop clenching or grinding your teeth. |