What Is a Dental Night Guard?

A Dental night guard is an appliance that people put in their mouths to protect their teeth while they are sleeping. This device is widely used by people who suffer from bruxism or excessive  tooth grinding or clenching. This grinding and clenching puts pressure on the jaw, which can cause temporo mandibular joint (TMJ) problems, severe headaches, ear pain, and neck pain as well as causing excessive wear to the teeth.

Thin, transparent, and horseshoe-shaped, dental night guards are made from hard but moldable plastics. The dental night guard fits over either the upper or the lower teeth, creating a cushion between them and absorbing the impact of the grinding or clenching. Night guards can help reduce enamel wear, jaw joint inflammation, and irritation to the gums. Overall, most dental night guard wearers report they have less pain and sleep better.

Fabrication of Dental Night Guard

In order to be truly effective, night guards need to be custom-made for each individual. It typically takes about two dentist appointments to receive a dental night guard. During the initial visit, the dentist takes a bite record and makes an impression of the patient’s teeth. During the second appointment, the patient gives the night guard a test run and the dentist makes any necessary adjustments.

Dental night guard can lasts up to 10 years if they are given proper care.It should always be rinsed just before and just after wearing, and they need to be brushed with a soft toothbrush and non-abrasive toothpaste or denture cleaner once a day. They should also be soaked in denture cleaner once a week to keep them clean and fresh.

Dental night guard drawbacks

Dental night guards have some drawbacks, They can be fairly expensive. In addition, if the night guard does not fit just right, it can cause the wearer significant pain. Some night guard wearers have reported waking up with a headache or intense jaw pain, and others claim they are not able to sleep at all.

Despite these disadvantages, many people view the dental night guard as a simple solution for protecting teeth and jaws from the damaging effects of bruxism. It is important to keep in mind that the cost of repairing or capping worn down teeth will be even more expensive than one of these dental night guard.