Many people are affected with bruxism, or teeth grinding. Some people may do this consciously during the day, but it is a larger problem at night while you are asleep. Prolonged teeth grinding, or bruxism, can cause enamel to wear off teeth and expose dentin. This material is softer than enamel and more susceptible to decay. Sensitivity to hot and cold food or drink may also develop from excessive teeth grinding. The noise from teeth grinding can also disturb your spouse’s sleep if loud enough.
If you grind your teeth, you should consider a nightguard. The nightguard, which is very similar to a mouth guard worn by athletes, provides a barrier between your top and bottom teeth while you sleep. All nightguards are custom fitted for comfort and to allow for proper breathing. We will take an impression of your teeth and have the nightguard created by a dental lab. Nightguards are very durable but still need to be cared for and changed periodically depending on the severity of grinding habits, dental work that needs to be done and/or age of the appliance.
If you suspect you might be grinding your teeth at night set up an appointment with us today.