Custom-Fit Dental Night Guards
If you often wake up with a tender jaw or throbbing headache, you could be clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth while you sleep. Known as bruxism, this condition can also toothaches, and it affects both adults and children.
According to the American Academy of Oral Medicine, bruxism during sleep is more serious than bruxism while awake. Why? When you are asleep, you are not aware of what you are doing, and you could unknowingly be exerting significant pressure on your jaw and teeth.
How to Protect Your Jaw and Teeth From the Effects of Bruxism
To help alleviate the symptoms of bruxism, the exceptional dentists at Virginia H. Ellis, DDS Dental Corp. create customized night guards for patients in Orinda, California. A night guard is a dental appliance that covers the teeth, creating a cushioning barrier between the upper and lower jaw to prevent the teeth from coming in contact with each other and grinding together.
Made of durable materials, such as silicone or acrylic resin, night guards are placed over the teeth and worn during sleep. To ensure maximum protection and comfort, the experienced team of dental professionals at Virginia H. Ellis, DDS Dental Corp. will use impressions of your teeth to personalize your night guards and fit them specifically to the unique contours of your mouth. Although night guards can also be purchased over the counter, a one-size-fits-all device may offer inferior protection against the effects of bruxism because it simply will not fit as well as a custom night guard created by a dentist.
In addition to helping you get a better night’s sleep, a custom-made night guard can prevent bruxism-related damage to your teeth over time. For instance, chipped and worn-down teeth may eventually require veneers, crowns, or other cosmetic dental repair work.
Are You a Candidate for Night Guards?
If you would like to learn more about night guards and find out how this individualized dental solution may help you, contact Virginia H. Ellis, DDS Dental Corp. today. You can also use our convenient online form to request an appointment at our office in Orinda, CA.