Night Guards In Raleigh NC
Treating Bruxism (Clenching & Grinding Your Teeth) In Raleigh
Dental night guards are a treatment of choice for those who want to protect their teeth, gums, and supporting tissue from damage caused by bruxism – jaw clenching and teeth grinding that can occur during the day or night. If Dr. King or another dental specialist has diagnosed you with bruxism and recommended you use a mouth guard, consider this treatment before your untreated bruxism leads to serious oral heath problems.
Night Guards: Protecting Your Teeth
Night guards help to alleviate the constant pressure and tension created in the temporomandibular joint which often leads to headaches, jaw pain, neck pain and facial pain. We offer a variety of designs, depending on your specific needs.
It takes just 2 short visits of about 10 minutes each to obtain a night guard made just for you.
- The first visit: We take accurate impressions of your upper and lower teeth and a bite record and send all to a professional dental laboratory where the precise information is used to create a custom mouth guard that will fit your teeth and occlusion (how you bite your teeth together) correctly.
- The second visit: We check the fit of the custom night guard and review instructions with you regarding wear and care.
Does It Sound Like You Need A Dental Night Guard?
Schedule a consultation with Dr. King and find out if night guards are right for you.
Night Guards Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do Night Guards Actually Work?
Yes! While night guards help ensure that your top and bottom teeth are comfortably separated as you sleep, safeguarding them from damage that can get expensive to repair. They also relax your jaw, reducing pain, tension, and headaches, improving your sleep patterns and breathing, and can help prevent snoring.
How Do I Know If I Grind My Teeth When I’m Sleeping?
Your dentist and your sleeping partner may be the only ones able to confirm that. During a consultation, Dr. King can see signs of wear and tear on your teeth or even your gums if you’ve been grinding your teeth. Also, your partner may hear you at night and let you know if you have a consistent and intense habit of grinding.
Can Night Guards Ruin Your Teeth?
No! They actually do the opposite, protecting your teeth from damaging each other. It’s bruxism that ruins your teeth, causing them to grind down or flake off tooth structure when you grind them. Night guards help prevent possible chipping and cracking of your teeth, gum recession, loss of enamel and eventual bone loss.
Is It Bad to Wear a Night Guard Every Night?
No! For best results, wear your night guard to bed every night. You’ll soon get used to it, and once you do, you may even have a difficult time sleeping without it. Eventually, you’ll see grinding patterns on your night guard, showing you what your teeth are experiencing when you do not wear your night guard at night while you sleep.
Can a Night Guard Change Your Bite?
No! It’s the grinding over time that can change your bite. Night guards work to prevent the damage to your teeth, such as enamel and dentin loss, that is caused by grinding.
How Do I Care for My Night Guard?
We will professionally clean your appliance every time you come to see us if you bring it with you to your appointment. For day-to-day cleaning, water, soap and a soft bristled tooth brush get the job done. We also give you a Red Oak Dentistry instruction sheet that gives you all the tips and tricks you will need when we fit you for your Night Guard.
