Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)
Treatment for Teeth Grinding
Do you know if you grind your teeth at night? Do you wake up in the morning with headaches or soreness in your jaw joints? Do you have receding gums although you practice proper dental hygiene?
You may be grinding your teeth in your sleep.
An occlusal night guard is a device fabricated from acrylic that covers the biting surfaces of teeth. Occlusal night guards are usually a hard acrylic with a soft liner that cover either the upper or lower teeth. The occlusal night guard’s function is to prevent the biting surfaces of teeth from coming into contact.
Benefits of a Night Guard
Benefits of a professionally made occlusal guard:
- Prevent breakage of dental restorations and teeth
- Prevent wear on healthy enamel
- Protect destruction of newly fabricated restorations
- Effective, non-invasive, and comfortable to wear
- Relaxes jaw muscles and reduces pressure on the TMJ (temporomandibular joint)
More Information
When in place, the occlusal night guard prevents teeth from touching, thus preventing the grinding that can break teeth and dental restorations. Occlusal night guards are prescribed to prevent further destruction of teeth for people who are already grinding their teeth and can be used after dental restoration to prevent the destruction of new surfaces. Lifetime Dental Care® will fabricate a custom appliance that will cover either the upper or lower teeth.