Night guards are plastic mouthpieces that are designed to fit your teeth and jaw naturally. They are used to protect your teeth from destructive grinding and jaw clenching. Usually, they are worn at night while sleeping to stop any unconscious jaw clenching and teeth grinding. They are mostly made latex and BPA-free, therefore, this means that patients should not worry about allergies.
Most patients prefer wearing night guards because they do not need to be worn all day. Your dentist may recommend a type of night guard depending on the cause of your TMJ. Here are the three different types of night guards for teeth clenching.
- Soft Night Guard
This type of nightguard may be prescribed for mild cases of teeth grinding and jaw clenching. Some patients are lucky enough not to suffer this unfortunate habit on a nightly basis. Also, there are patients whose level of grinding is not so high. Therefore, for such patients, soft protection is sufficient to deal with their problems and protect their teeth structure.
Additionally, the soft night guard is suitable for patients who suffer from teeth clenching rather than bruxism. It is made with soft material that cushions the pressure caused by the clenching. Also, due to their soft nature, patients may feel the desire to bite down on their night guards. Therefore, this can reduce the lifespan of the guard and so their warranties are normally short. However, a soft night guard that is professionally made is still better than an over-the-counter night guard.
- Hard Acrylic Night Guard
Usually, this type of night guard is prescribed to those patients who have more severe teeth grinding or to those who seem to be developing TMJ disorder. The hard night guard is much more durable, but less flexible than the soft night guard. It is made from acrylic- a clear, hard plastic material. Also, it is important to note that the hard acrylic night guard is different from an acrylic bite splint. Whereas the hard acrylic night guard protects against teeth grinding, the acrylic bite splint addresses TMJ dysfunction.
- Dual Laminated Night Guard
This type of night guard is somewhat the latest dental innovation; it takes a special machine that combines heat and pressure to fuse the two layers together. It combines the best version of both worlds, the soft and hard night guards and binds them together, thus giving the patient the highest level of satisfaction. So, your teeth will feel comfortable against the soft gel-like material inside while the hard outside does its job of combating the effects of teeth clenching. This night guard is extra durable; therefore, one will have to do some serious damage to grind through the double layers. However, the dual laminated night guards cannot be soaked overnight. Therefore, you will need to keep them dry between uses to prevent the double layers from separating.
Bottom Line
Not everyone needs a night guard. However, if you snore, grind your teeth, clench your jaw or want to offer extra protection to your dental restorative work while you sleep, you should speak with your dentist to see which type of night guards is suitable for you.
If you are interested in getting a custom made night guard, feel free to contact or schedule an appointment with us at Carrum Downs Dental Clinic today.
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