Night guards are oral appliances worn during sleep to prevent tooth wear and damage caused by grinding or clenching. Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, can cause fractures, cracks, and other types of damage to your teeth. Bruxism is sometimes caused by stress, but can also be a side effect of sleep conditions like sleep apnea.
At Summit Denture Clinic, we design custom-made night guards to fit your unique bite and ensure maximum efficiency and protection against damage caused by teeth grinding and clenching.
How Does a Night Guard Protect Your Teeth?
A night guard is a custom-made oral appliance worn at night to protect your teeth from damage caused by nighttime teeth grinding. During sleep, the jaw muscles tend to relax and may clench together naturally.
If you suffer from nighttime teeth grinding or clenching, the pressure applied to your teeth can lead to severe damage. A night guard keeps your teeth from touching and rubbing against each other. It prevents tooth sensitivity and damage to the enamel caused by teeth grinding.
Types of Night Guards
There are two types of night guards available: stock and custom.
A stock night guard is the least expensive option. Because it is not customized to your unique bite, it provides a low level of protection and can be uncomfortable to wear.
A custom night guard provides better protection against wear and damage and is more durable as we design it to fit your mouth perfectly and manufacture it from high-quality dental-grade materials.
How Are Night Guards Made?
We create custom night guards by using an impression of your teeth. We manufacture them from soft materials like acrylic plastic that are easily molded to fit your bite and ensure comfort.
At Summit Denture Clinic, we use state-of-the-art equipment to capture precise impressions of your teeth and mouth. This allows us to design custom night guards that are more efficient against damage caused by teeth grinding and fit much more comfortably than stock night guards.
Night Guard vs. Mouth Guard: What's the Difference?
A night guard is a type of dental appliance that is worn at night. It acts as a protective barrier between the teeth to prevent grinding (bruxism) or clenching. In some cases, bruxism can be controlled with lifestyle changes, but most patients require night guards to stop the grinding and properly protect their teeth against damage.
Bruxism can cause severe tooth wear, fractures, jaw pain, tooth sensitivity, and headaches among other symptoms.
A mouth guard, on the other hand, is worn when playing sports or engaging in other recreational activities. They protect the teeth and gums from injury.
Visit Summit Denture Clinic at 130 – 2881 Garden Street, Abbotsford, BC V2T 4X1, or call (604) 776-2881 to learn more about the benefits of night guards.