Every day here at Superior Family Dental, we ask at least one patient, are you wearing your occlusal guard (night guard)?  Most patient responses are “well, not every night or NO”. Patients are unaware that the damage they are doing on those “not every night” can lead to many issues within their mouth.  Your dentist recommended that you invest in an occlusal guard/night guard for many reasons. 

• An occlusal guard (night guard) is a protective layer of hard acrylic plastic that is placed over the teeth, whether upper or lower, to create a physical barrier between your teeth minimizing the effects of grinding or clenching at night time.
• Without an occlusal guard, after many nights of excessive grinding or clenching your teeth slowly start to wear through the enamel down into the dentin layer of your teeth.
• The occlusal guard will also minimize the pain associated with tightness of the jaw muscles, after a long night of grinding/clenching.
• Clenching or Grinding can also lead to gum recession. Too much pressure applied to the teeth will result in recession of gums. This will indeed cause full mouth sensitivity.

There are many reasons why patients should be wearing their occlusal guards every night, only name a few here in this article.

If you are suffering discomfort from grinding/clenching at night and are not using an occlusal guard, talk to your dentist about what options are available to you. Here at Superior Family Dental, we want you to always be comfortable with your smile, whether at night or during the day! So, call us today with any concerns you may have regarding your dental health. We are always just a phone call away.  248-539-3088

As always, we thank you for being part of our dental family and look forward to seeing you at your next visit!