Night guards are appliances that the patient wears at night to counter the effects of excessive grinding of the teeth. They come in a variety of types and thicknesses and can be customized to fit your mouth for optimal comfort.
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Winning Smiles Pediatric and Adult Dentistry is proud to offer night guards for patients who struggle with teeth grinding during sleep, jaw issues, TMD and bruxism. If you need a custom night guard, call your nearest Winning Smiles location in Amherst, Orchard Park or Lackawanna today at 716-332-2444 to make an appointment with one our qualified dental professionals!
Winning Smiles operates conveniently located dental offices throughout the greater Buffalo area in Amherst, Orchard Park and Lackawanna. Call (716) 332-2444 to make your appointment with our dental professionals!
Night guards are appliances that the patient wears at night to counter the effects of excessive grinding of the teeth. They come in a variety of types and thicknesses and can be customized to fit your mouth for optimal comfort.
The need for a night guard comes from protecting their teeth from destruction and joint pain. The two most common health conditions associated with needing a night guard is temporomandibular joint (TMD) disorder and bruxism.
Causes of the temporomandibular joint (TMD) disorder include injury to the teeth or jaw, misalignment of the teeth or jaw, teeth grinding, poor posture, stress, arthritis, and gum chewing.
Knowing that you have one of these disorders can be difficult to tell on your own. The best way to find out is to talk to an oral professional about any irregularities you may feel in your jaw.
Wearing a night guard is a great way to help your mouth heal, although additional treatments may be needed to help stabilize the jaw to prevent further damage. Night guards used to treat TMD are made of a rigid acrylic material that helps to raise the bite and reposition the jaw to help relieve the patient of any symptoms and discomfort. Due to the precise nature of TMD, multiple adjustments may be required in order to achieve the perfect position.
Bruxism is a condition characterized by constant grinding or clenching of teeth during the day or while asleep. In addition to stress and anxiety, bruxism can be caused by sleep disorders, an abnormal bite or missing/crooked teeth. The effects of bruxism are headaches, shoulder soreness, gum recession, tooth destruction and joint discomfort.
When bruxism progresses, the surface of the tooth is lost and the bite collapses. This puts additional stress on the temporomandibular joint, which is a hinge that connects our jaws to the bones of the skull that are in front of each ear. It is believed that severe bruxism can result in the start of TMD. TMD and bruxism both have similar symptoms that a patient can experience.
For bruxism, wearing a night guard prevents the surfaces of your teeth from grinding together, causing you to chip and crack your teeth and strain your jaw muscles.
Winning Smiles Pediatric and Adult Dentistry is proud to be able to provide custom night guards to our patients that may have jaw discomfort from clenching, grinding, or bruxism and TMD.