NIGHT GUARD

The physical protection of teeth goes hand in hand with prevention. Teeth grinding (bruxing) can cause your teeth to wear and even fracture leading to TMJ disorder and dental pain. Clenching is another habit that many patients experience which can also take a toll on the TMJ joint and stress your chewing muscles.

What Are The Signs of Grinding (Bruxing) or Clenching?

Did you know that up to one third of the population suffers from teeth grinding? Of course not, how could you know this? Most of the grinding (bruxing) and clenching episodes take place when you are asleep. Clenching, more commonly, than grinding can occur in your everyday life without you even knowing it. Focussing on a task at work or dealing with the daily stresses can cause someone to clench. The most obvious signs of grinding are observed by looking at the wear on teeth. Some teeth will have flattened anatomy, or fracture and craze lines, or even rough areas due to fractured enamel.

Another clue to to finding out if you grind or clench is if you wake up with any head or neck soreness. Many of the muscles that control our chewing that you may not think are involved in the process are affected. For example, if you've been grinding all night and wake up in the morning with a headache near the temple your head, you have been putting a strain on your temporalis muscle that is located on the side of your head.

What If I Have Temporo-Mandibular Joint (TMJ) Discomfort?

Teeth grinding and clenching are strongly linked to TMJ discomfort and disorder. Many times a patient will present to our office with a concern relating to headaches and joint discomfort. After further investigation, Dr. Kalebjian and Dr. Khater discover that the teeth are also worn or even fractured. Many patients may experience pain that radiates from the joint area all the way to ear.

How Do I Treat My Grinding (Bruxing), Clenching, and TMJ Disorder?

Even though grinding, clenching, and TMJ disorder are separate phenomenons, they can all co-exist and wreck havoc on your comfort and enamel. Many times a custom fit (soft internal and hard external) acrylic nightguard appliance can provide relief for all three of these ailments. A night guard is custom made for your upper teeth and is designed to correctly separate your teeth during these episodes of grinding or clenching. The night guard splint is usually worn at night when you are sleeping. Many patients report a better quality of sleep and wake up with less soreness and associated TMJ pain. The night guard splint helps protect your natural teeth and restorations (ie. fillings, crowns, veneers, etc.).

If you think that you have been grinding or clenching your teeth, Dr. Kalebjian and Dr. Khater at Fresno Dental Works can do an evaluation to determine if you are a good candidate for a nightguard splint. Contact us today!

© 2015 Fresno Dental Works | All Rights Reserved | Dennis M. Kalebjian, DDS | Roger A. Khater, DDS | Fresno, CA | HIPAA Privacy Notice | Website Accessibility Statement