Why Do I Need A Night Guard?

A night guard is a device that is used to protect a patient’s teeth from excess pressure and grinding at night. Bruxism is a condition in which people grind or clench their teeth. It can cause severe damage to the teeth including fracturing teeth, chipping crowns, breaking fillings.

A person who suffers from bruxism may not even be aware that they have this behavior. Common symptoms include pain in the jaw muscles (masseter and temporalis) headaches, as well as severely worn teeth. These symptoms are usually most noticeable in the morning when the patient wakes up. If you are experiencing these symptoms you should notify your dentist because you could benefit from a night guard.

A night guard can be made of hard or soft dental materials and is generally worn on the upper teeth during sleep. It prevents the patient from grinding the upper and lower teeth together to minimize damage. Patients who have multiple crowns/implants should also consider a night guard to protect the investment they have made in their teeth.