Nightguards

When in proper alignment, teeth are designed to chew and exist in harmony with the jaw joint. However, many people do not have proper alignment of the teeth and/or jaw joint resulting in muscle pain and tooth wear. Many situations can be the cause of malalignment including accidents, development, oral habits, multiple fillings, or restorations, naturally occurring malocclusion (bad bite), orthodontics, stress, clenching and grinding, and more. Clenching and grinding are conditions that can be very detrimental to your teeth and overall health. These habits can cause significant wear on the teeth, fractured teeth, and even headaches. Most people perform these parafunctional habits at night. Therefore, wearing an appliance to bed can alleviate many of their symptoms.

Depending on your situation, night guards can be made to wear on the top, bottom, front, or whole arch of teeth. These appliances require one to three appointments depending on the type that is fabricated. They are typically made from clear plastic that fits between the teeth to prevent the upper and lower jaw from contacting with one another. This allows the jaw to function more freely and return to a state of alignment without guidance or interference from the teeth. If the teeth are not in alignment, then additional adjustments to fillings, crowns, bridges, and natural teeth may be necessary. It is far better to wear out a piece of plastic than your teeth. Let us help you keep your teeth for a lifetime.

Snoring Device - An anti-snoring mouth guard or night guard repositions the jaw by bringing  the jaw forward. This widens the back of the airway, reducing resistance and turbulence which can stop snoring.

How to care for your splint

You may soak your nightguard in a denture cleaner during the day. Then brush and rinse the inside and outside of the splint prior to use. We do not recommend the use of toothpaste or abrasive cleaners as they will decrease the integrity of your appliance. It is best to store your splint in a container of water while not in use. Dental decay will progress in the teeth under the splint in accelerated levels if you are not careful about cleanliness of your mouth and splint. If you have a high dental decay potential, fluoride-containing rinses or gels may be suggested.

Many fillings placed in your mouth over the years or other conditions have caused your teeth to meet in a position your jaws cannot tolerate. The splint eliminates tooth-to-tooth contact. Your symptoms will gradually disappear while you are wearing the splint; and your natural teeth, bridges, and/or fillings will be adjusted to the new bite by us. This procedure is called occlusal equilibration. After a period, you may be able to not wear the splint at all. The described treatment usually requires a few weeks to several months.