Bruxism is a medical condition in which people clench their jaws and grind their teeth frequently. This usually happens when people are asleep, but in certain cases, it can also happen when they’re awake. Bruxism can affect your oral health, chip the enamel, expose nerve endings, and even cause jaw pain. In the long run, it can also cause chronic head, jaw, and neck pain.
In addition to that, there’s no clear-cut cure for bruxism as the cause can vary depending on different factors, including stress, genetics, and even bad eating habits. However, there are a few solutions you can try to control your bruxism. These include muscle relaxants to lower stress levels and relying on dental guards to prevent oral health issues.
Keep in mind that these issues especially using night guards, aren’t a permanent solution to teeth grinding. Instead, it helps prevent teeth damage from grinding, as the guards cushion the grinding effect. That’s why dentists recommend using custom dental guards for bruxism. Here’s what to look for when picking one for yourself.
What Are Your Concerns?
Sensitive Teeth
You can get swollen gums as a result of light teeth grinding. However, it isn’t as alarming since your enamel isn’t damaged. But if you ignore it, this light grinding can get intense and harm your oral health. Soft night guards are the right option to control sensitive teeth and prevent further damage.
Chipped Tooth
If your teeth grinding is strong enough to cause enamel damage, then you‘ll need something strong enough to withstand the pressure. Soft dental guards won’t do the trick, so getting a hard or ultra-hard mouthguard is the best option. In addition to being made from durable and strong materials, these dental guards are also around 3mm thick, keeping plenty of distance between your teeth and preventing further enamel damage.
Jaw Locking
If your only concern is jaw locking, chances are you have awake bruxism. This kind of bruxism happens when people are awake, and it’s usually characterized by intense jaw clenching and not teeth grinding. The good thing about this bruxism is that you can stop whenever you’re aware of your clenched jaw. But it can still cause discomfort. So getting an ultra-thin day-time mouthguard is the best option. These guards are hardly noticeable, and the soft material makes them comfortable enough to talk while wearing them.
Headaches
Whether you have awake bruxism or sleep bruxism, the extra pressure on the jaw can stress the body and mind. As a result, your arteries contract obstructing the flow of blood through your brain. These contracting nerves then make you more stressed, and you end up with a headache. This can happen whether you’re asleep or awake; to prevent this, you need ample cushioning. However, if you go for ultra-hard dental guards, they might not help you much because they’re a bit stiff. That’s why it’s a good option to stick to hard or soft but durable mouthguards. These are designed to be comfortable while also offering more cushioning than ultra-thin ones.
Improper Sleep
Constant teeth grinding leads to disturbed sleep, and you might wake up many times throughout the night. If this is your concern, you should go for heavy-duty dental guards such as an ultra-hard dental guard that offers ample cushioning and relieves the pressure on your jaw so you can get a peaceful night’s sleep. However, ultra-hard guards might be a bit stiff and slightly less comfortable than others.
What To Look For When Picking A Dental Guard?
The Material
Commonly custom dental guards are made from hard acrylic soft acrylic, and elasticized copolyester. These variations are to accommodate your needs. With light bruxism, you can make do with a hard acrylic guard. But if you’re looking for added protection, going for elasticized copolyester dental guards is the way to go.
Strength
The strength also depends on the material. However, different variations within each material allow you to find the right guard for yourself. If you’re looking for acrylic guards, you can get them in the soft-to-hard range. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a copolyester, you should expect something between hard and ultra-hard.
The Build
The build refers to the fit of the dental guards. Commonly over-the-counter dental guards offer poor fit and subpar cushioning properties. This is why dentists recommend going for custom night guards that are specifically designed to fit your dental profile. Not only do these last longer, but they also offer higher comfort levels because they don’t fit snuggly. Usually, with a custom mouthguard, you get an impression kit you can use to create a mold with your teeth, then the company sends you dental guards based on those molds.
Specific Considerations
If you have other considerations, such as wearing braces or dental guards for the upper or lower set of teeth, you can still get custom dental guards made. It’s a common misconception that you can’t get guards for the upper jaw or if you have braces. You’ll have to pick the material and stiffness you want. The mold for your custom dental guard will accommodate your braces.
Clear Comfort Night Guard’s Quiz
If you’re still unsure about what to look for when getting your custom night guard, Clear Comfort Night Guards have a comprehensive quiz on their website. The quiz is designed to understand your issues and requirements and suggest the appropriate dental guard for you from their collection.
Get Your Custom Dentist Recommended Mouthguards Today!
Clear Comfort Night Guards provides customized dental guards. Their dental guards come in soft, ultra-thin, hard, and ultra-hard options. Dentists recommend using night guards to reduce the consequences of bruxism and avoid jaw pain, tooth damage, and even headaches.
Not only that, but Clear Comfort Night Guards offer exceptional customer service, free shipping and returns, high-quality materials, and a money-back guarantee. Their custom made night guards are created in the US by trained dental technicians. Clear Comforts Night Guards cuts out the intermediaries, making their dental guards less expensive. Furthermore, they sell sports mouthguards to individuals who actively participate in sports. So, order your custom dental guard today and contact them for more information.
