Night Guards
Platte City, MO
 Do you wake up in the morning feeling pain in your jaw? Pain is how your body lets you know that something just is not right. Chronic pain in the jaw can often indicate a condition known as bruxism. Left untreated, bruxism can lead to severe pain that can interfere with your daily life, making simple tasks excruciating. Platte Valley Dental Care can help to alleviate the symptoms of bruxism with a custom night guard.
Do You Grind and Clench Your Teeth?Having bruxism means that you grind and clench your teeth. The muscles attached to your jaw contract, forcing your upper and lower jaws to clench together. The excessive pressure on your teeth and your jaws can have serious effects that can impact your entire quality of life. Not only do the muscles get tired from overuse, but the excessive pressure can also cause extreme discomfort, making doing even simple things excruciatingly painful. While bruxism can occur at any time, it is most common at night. This is because during the day, you are more aware of your muscle movements. If you notice your muscles clenching, you can consciously put a stop to it. However, when you sleep, you do not have this same control. Your jaws can grind and clench without interruption.
How Do I Know if I Have Bruxism?While jaw pain is one of the most common symptoms of bruxism, there are other symptoms that can occur as well. These symptoms include:| • |
Swelling of the jaw and face.
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Pain at the temporomandibular joints.
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Facial pain.
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Uneven or excessive tooth wear. This wear can increase your risk for developing cavities as well as increase your risk for tooth damage.
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Gum recession. Constant grinding and clenching can lead to gum recession, which can then lead to issues such as tooth sensitivity.
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Grinding and clenching can cause the teeth to become loose. This may even lead to tooth loss.
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Chronic headaches and earaches. The pain from the pressures exerted on your teeth and jaws can radiate up into your head and your ears, causing headaches and earaches. |
What Causes Bruxism to Occur?One of the most common causes of bruxism is stress. When you are under stress, all of your muscles, including those in your face, become tense. This tension can lead to grinding and clenching. Other common causes of bruxism include:| • |
Stimulants, such as caffeine.
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Certain types of medications.
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Alcohol consumption.
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Smoking, or using other tobacco products.
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Misalignment of your teeth or jaws. |
Treating Bruxism With a Custom Night GuardA night guard is a common treatment for mild to moderate bruxism. We custom create a night guard just for you based on digital impressions of your mouth. These impressions allow us to create a night guard that fits perfectly within your mouth and takes your natural bite into consideration. There are two types of night guards that can be used for bruxism. The first type resembles a sports mouthguard. It covers the entire top arch of teeth, providing a cushion that absorbs the impact of the forces exerted by your jaws. The other type only covers the front teeth. This guard works to hold your jaws in proper alignment as well as preventing the upper and lower jaws from making contact with one another while you sleep.
You may be wondering why you cannot just get a guard from your local pharmacy. These night guards are not custom. While they are affordable, you may find that a night guard purchased over the counter falls out while you sleep or interferes with your breathing. For the best results, a professionally created night guard is the way to go. With a custom night guard, we can help to alleviate the symptoms of bruxism, alleviating your pain and restoring your quality of life. Call Platte Valley Dental Care today at (816)858-2027 to schedule your consultation and find out if a custom night guard is right for you. We also offer other services like oral cancer screenings, dental implants, and TMJ treatment. Check out our smile gallery to view some of our procedures. |
