Night Guards

Everyone needs the right dental care, and each person’s mouth is different. Those in Albuquerque have many different treatments available to them. Usually, when you visit the dentist, you think primarily about checkups for dental problems like periodontal disease or teeth cleanings.

However, you should discuss every issue you have with your Ivory Dental dentist. You might not even realize that the headache you often have is because you clench your teeth.

Most people clench and grind their teeth overnight. This can cause significant damage to the teeth. However, it also leads to a headache or sore jaw when you wake up. Those who have TMJ issues may try to open their mouths to yawn when they awake and can barely do so.

It’s often impossible to stop clenching or grinding at night because you’re asleep when you do it. However, there are options to help you prevent the pain and soreness.

What Is Bruxism?

Bruxism is the medical term that means you clench or grind your teeth. Most Albuquerque residents don’t even know they have the condition until they’re diagnosed with TMJ disorder. You may also find out when you tell your dentist that you have headaches and jaw pain.

Some people have sleep partners who tell them that their tooth grinding wakes them up at night. You might not know it, but teeth grinding could be very loud. Just imagine how it’s affecting your teeth!

Sometimes, it’s hard for us to determine why you have bruxism, but here are common things that could make you grind/clench your teeth during the night:

• Caffeine
• Drugs or alcohol
• Sleep apnea
• Smoking
• Anxiety
• Stress

You might be able to prevent bruxism if you know the reason. For instance, if you’re grinding your teeth because you drink too much caffeine, you should stop drinking those beverages before bedtime.

What Are the Symptoms of Bruxism?

Often, people don’t know if it’s bruxism or something else altogether. Therefore, it’s important to understand the symptoms of bruxism, such as:

• TMJ disorder
• Fractured, chipped, or loose teeth
• Jaw pain
• Tooth pain
• Earaches
• Neck pain
• Worn tooth enamel
• Headaches

When you grind or clench your teeth, you’re overworking the jaw muscles. Therefore, you might wake up in the morning and be sore. The neck, teeth, head, and ears can all ache from the clenching or grinding.

If you don’t treat the bruxism quickly, it could cause your tooth enamel to wear down prematurely. That can lead to more cavities and sensitivity when eating or drinking hot/cold foods.

Sometimes, the issue is so bad that you require crowns to cover your damaged teeth. Another tooth restoration might be necessary, as well, to repair your smile. These can include root canals where the cavities are too large for fillings or extractions if the tooth can’t be saved.

Why Should You Use Night Guards?

At Ivory Dental, we understand that bruxism causes a lot of damage. However, there is an excellent solution available!

Night guards could help you protect your teeth during the night. That way, you can avoid more expensive restorative treatments later. With that, you can reduce the pain and might be able to correct many other issues, such as tooth pain or TMJ disorder.

If you’ve never heard of night guards, it’s time to learn about them. That way, you can find out if this is the right treatment for your tooth grinding and clenching. It might save your teeth!

What Are the Benefits of Night Guards?

The biggest benefit of using custom-made night guards is to reduce pain and discomfort. When you wake up, you should have less jaw pain, fewer headaches, and might notice that the pain in your teeth completely goes away. In fact, you may hear from your sleep partner that they are getting more rest, as well.

However, you can also save a lot of money when using night guards. In fact, they can cost less than many restorative dentistry procedures, such as fillings, root canals, extractions, implants, and more.

When you have bruxism, your mouth exerts way too much force for the teeth and gums. This can cause your enamel to wear down too soon and can ultimately lead to tooth loss. If it’s left untreated, your only options for protecting your teeth are implants, dentures, dental bridges, and crowns.

How to Protect Your Teeth with Night Guards and Where to Get Them

A night guard is an insert placed in the mouth that you can remove in the morning. In a sense, it offers a protective layer between the upper and lower teeth. This prevents you from biting down on the teeth or clenching your jaw while you sleep.

While you can find night guards at various stores, they are not customized to meet your needs. Any pharmacy offers these OTC night guards. You usually dip them in hot or boiling water and then mold them to the teeth.

However, these aren’t the best choice because the dentist doesn’t fit them for you. They might not be very comfortable, and in some cases, they cause other issues. For example, at-home kits could cause your teeth to shift, changing your bite pattern over time. Let us custom-make your night guards!

Why Choose Ivory Dental for Night Guards

Instead of visiting a pharmacy or store and buying OTC night guards, it’s better to come to Ivory Dental. We offer quality service and care. While you sit in the dental chair, our dentist takes impressions of your mouth.

We send those to the dental lab to create your customized night guards. It could take two or more weeks to get them, though. Therefore, if your bruxism is bad, we might make you a temporary night guard at the office to wear until the custom ones come back.

Then, you come in for the follow-up appointment, and we fit you with the night guard. We often make minor adjustments so that they’re comfortable. With that, we check your breathing and ensure that you can wear them while sleeping.

Call Ivory Dental about Our Custom Night Guards

Are you often tired when you wake up in the morning or experience pain? This is a common occurrence for many adults, and it doesn’t have to be that way. Chances are, you have bruxism and clench or grind your teeth throughout the night.

Instead of suffering and doing damage to your teeth, it’s time to call Ivory Dental in Albuquerque. We can help you figure out what’s happening, determine if you’ve got bruxism, have you fitted for a night guard.

The first time you use it, you might feel that it’s strange. However, that next morning, you’re sure to jump for joy. When you wake up refreshed and rested instead of in pain, you’re on your way to leading a healthier and happier life.

Though the process can take some time, don’t let that deter you. We can fit you with a temporary night guard while you wait. Experience restful sleep! Call us today to make an appointment!