What Are the Different Functions of Nightguards in Daily Life?

Nightguards are dental appliances recommended for use when sleeping at night, significantly if affected by bruxism, causing you to clench and grind your teeth when sleeping. Bruxism is not a problem that affects you only when you sleep. You may not be aware you clench your teeth subconsciously even when awake due to stress or other reasons. Therefore there are different functions of night guards in daily life because you may find it beneficial to use them during the day if you are affected by awake bruxism.

Bruxism Explained

Bruxism is a standard condition affecting many people, including children. For example, you could be clenching and grinding your teeth loudly at night to wake up your bed partner and realize the problem only after receiving information about the noises. However, other symptoms can also affect you if you frequently clench and grind your teeth when sleeping. They are jaw soreness, dull headaches, facial pain, and tiredness from the lack of sleep.

You may not confront challenges with occasional teeth grinding. Unfortunately, consistent long-term bruxism leads to broken teeth, tooth enamel loss, and even tooth loss in severe cases. The precise reasons for bruxism aren’t understood by the medical fraternity, who think that stress and anxiety may have a role to play in the condition. Other reasons attributed to bruxism include smoking, sleep apnea, alcohol, abnormal bites, and orthodontic issues.

Functions of Night Guards

If you are affected by bruxism, the optimal method to overcome the condition is to visit the dental office in Sarasota to determine the extent of the damage the problem has created on your teeth. When evaluating your mouth and checking for signs of crooked teeth or abnormal bites, and recommending treatments to correct the problem, the dentists at the office also assess the damages created by the teeth grinding.

Your dentists recommend night guards in Sarasota, FL, to wear when sleeping, offering you a comfortable remedy for bruxism. Nightguards for teeth function as mouthguards or nocturnal bite plates to put a barrier between your teeth to keep them separated. When you clench your jaw when sleeping, the night guard helps lessen the tension to cushion the jaw muscles. The softening helps avert face and jaw pain while protecting your tooth enamel. Nightguards are similar to dental appliances provided for sleep apnea.

How to Use Night Guards

Using night guards is not a challenging task, especially if you purchase the appliance from your dentist. Dentists customize a night guard explicitly for your mouth after taking impressions and creating one for you. They also provide instructions on how and when to wear them for best results.

If you purchased the night guard from your dentist, you would likely receive a hard night guard made from acrylic if you have a severe condition of bruxism. Customized hard night guards are durable and provide you with a suitable remedy to prevent your teeth from shifting and are available with the most extended warranty. Unfortunately, they are thicker than soft nightguards and not the most comfortable. They are also expensive as they are customized for the specifications of your mouth.

When using night guards, you don’t have to place the dental appliance in your mouth all day because you will appear obnoxious. Instead, you can put it in your mouth before you head to bed. Whether you feel comfortable or not with the dental appliance, let it remain in your mouth when sleeping because it is the best way to prevent damages to your teeth that may require treatment from the emergency dentist near you.

Why Must You Choose Expensive Night Guards over Affordable Varieties?

You might consider purchasing over-the-counter night guards at affordable prices over a custom-made appliance created by your dentist. However, you will likely observe that over-the-counter varieties are best for people with mild bruxism and are ineffective in cases like yours.

Over-the-counter night guards are generic and created under the theory one size fits all, also called stock mouthguards. However, you can also customize one for yourself by purchasing the boil and bite mouthguard or order online by sending impressions of your teeth to the manufacturer.

However, if you want the most accurate fit for your mouth, you find it better to order the night guard from Dr. Amy Valenti after providing an impression of your mouth and having the night guard created in a dental laboratory. The dental appliance, although expensive, offers the best fit, lasts the longest, and helps overcome bruxism with ease.

Don’t feel ashamed if you are affected by bruxism because the condition is standard. Instead, visit Tarpon Shores Dental — St Armands to get your customized night guard from the dentist.