Night Guards Night mouthguards are commonly used by people with teeth grinding problems. Teeth grinding is mainly a result of sleep apnea. People who suffer teeth grinding can easily injure themselves in the mouth while sleeping. Here at Jeanette Thai, DDS, we offer tailor-made night mouthguard solutions for people with such challenges. Grinding teeth, otherwise known as bruxism, will wear down your teeth and damage the tooth enamel if left untreated. There is some controversy about the effectiveness of night mouthguards in preventing oral injuries among people who grind their teeth. Some professionals argue that night mouthguards treat the symptoms of teeth grinding instead of treating the cause. The trick is to ensure you get the right mouthguard. Doing so will go a long way in reducing the risks of injuring yourself. Pharmacy MouthguardsYou can visit the pharmacy and buy some mouthguards over the counter. These mouthguards are usually pre-formed. You just have to fix them on when you go to sleep. Pre-formed mouthguards have a fitting challenge though. It might be difficult to find a mouthguard that fits perfectly. The mouthguard cannot protect you properly if it does not fit well. It is dangerous to have a mouthguard that does not hold on to your teeth firmly. It can come off at night and choke you. You can opt to go for boil and bite mouthguards. These mouthguards are made of a material that softens when you boil it. Once the mouthguard is soft, you bite into it. It will perfectly take the shape of your teeth and hold on firmly. Custom-Made MouthguardsThese are usually the best solution to teeth grinding. An impression of your teeth structure is obtained, and a custom mouthguard is made for you. Custom made mouthguards fit well and feel quite comfortable. They are less likely to fall off your mouth. Custom mouthguards are quite durable as well. They will last for quite a while if taken care of properly. You may have to pay a little bit more for them as compared to over the counter mouthguards, however. NTI MouthguardsNociceptive trigeminal inhibition splint (NTI) is a small mouthguard that is fitted to cover the front part of your teeth only. This mouthguard is designed to prevent the front teeth from meeting. This relieves pressure from the rest of the jaw thus preventing grinding. The challenge with NTIs is the risk of misaligned teeth. Prolonged use of NTIs will cause the front teeth to become misaligned. People prefer using NTI to avoid the unnatural feeling of wearing full night mouthguards. Full night mouthguards offer more protection than the NTIs, however. If you have teeth grinding problems, it is important that you wear a night mouthguard. You do not want your teeth to weaken. Teeth repair or replacement is always a costly affair, and the new teeth never really work like your natural teeth. Call Jeanette Thai, DDS at (949) 837-8482 if you need any assistance with night mouthguards. We will take care of all your oral health needs. |
