Night Guards
Do you wake up with a sore jaw or headaches? You might be grinding your teeth while sleeping. Custom night guards from Denver Orthodontics & Dental Lounge provide effective protection against teeth grinding and clenching that can damage your smile.
Dr. Desirea Scott specializes in creating comfortable, precisely-fitted night guards that shield your teeth, reduce muscle tension, and can be an integral part of TMD treatment. Unlike one-size-fits-all options, our professional night guards are designed specifically for your unique dental structure, ensuring you get the protection you need while maintaining comfort throughout the night.
Understanding Night Guards
Night guards are custom-made oral appliances designed to protect your teeth during sleep from the damaging effects of teeth grinding and clenching (bruxism). These protective devices create a physical barrier between your upper and lower teeth, preventing wear, chips, and fractures that can occur when teeth grind against each other.
Night guards also help distribute bite forces evenly, reducing pressure on individual teeth. They can be an essential component of TMD treatment, as they help alleviate temporomandibular joint disorders by reducing muscle tension and allowing the jaw to rest in a more natural position. Custom-fitted night guards provide superior comfort and protection compared to over-the-counter alternatives, ensuring effective nighttime teeth protection.
Benefits of Night Guards
Prevents Tooth Damage and Wear
A custom night guard creates a protective barrier between your upper and lower teeth, preventing the damage caused by grinding and clenching. This protection helps preserve your natural tooth structure and prevents chips, cracks, and excessive wear that can lead to sensitivity and more extensive dental problems. Your night guard absorbs the forces of grinding, keeping your smile intact and healthy.
Reduces Jaw Pain and Muscle Tension
Wearing a night guard helps relax your jaw muscles by properly positioning your jaw during sleep. This alignment reduces the strain on your temporomandibular joint and surrounding muscles, often providing significant relief from chronic jaw pain, headaches, and facial soreness. Many patients report waking up with less discomfort and tension after just a few nights of consistent use.
Improves Sleep Quality
By reducing teeth grinding and clenching, a night guard can help you achieve more restful sleep. The decreased muscle activity and pain relief allow for fewer sleep disruptions, helping you wake feeling more refreshed. Your sleep partners may also benefit from reduced noise disturbances that often accompany teeth grinding, creating a more peaceful sleeping environment for everyone.
Protects Dental Work Investments
If you’ve invested in restorative or cosmetic dental work such as crowns, veneers, or implants, a night guard provides essential protection for these investments. The forces exerted during nighttime grinding can damage or shorten the lifespan of dental restorations. Your custom night guard helps preserve both your natural teeth and any dental work, saving you from costly repairs or replacements.
Addresses TMD Symptoms
For those suffering from temporomandibular disorders (TMD), a properly fitted night guard can be an effective part of treatment. By positioning your jaw correctly and reducing muscle strain, the guard helps alleviate many TMD symptoms including clicking sounds, limited jaw movement, and facial pain. This non-invasive approach to TMD treatment can significantly improve your comfort and function.
Our Night Guard Fitting Process
Comprehensive Dental Evaluation
During your first visit with Dr. Scott, we’ll conduct a thorough examination of your teeth, jaw, and bite patterns to identify signs of grinding and clenching. This detailed assessment includes checking for tooth wear, listening to your symptoms, and discussing your sleep habits. Dr. Scott will determine if a custom night guard is right for you and explain how it can address your specific concerns while potentially aiding in TMD treatment.
Precision Digital Impressions
Based on your examination, Dr. Scott will develop a personalized treatment plan addressing your unique grinding patterns and needs. We’ll take highly accurate digital impressions of your teeth to ensure your night guard fits perfectly and functions effectively. These detailed measurements capture the exact contours of your teeth, allowing for a night guard that feels comfortable while providing maximum protection against grinding damage.
Custom Night Guard Creation
Once your impressions are complete, our skilled technicians craft your custom night guard using durable, high-quality materials designed for comfort and longevity. The fabrication process ensures your night guard perfectly matches your dental anatomy, unlike generic store-bought options. Your device will be specifically designed to address your grinding patterns while providing support for any TMD-related concerns identified during your evaluation.
Perfect-Fit Appointment
When your custom night guard is ready, you’ll return to our office for a detailed fitting session. Dr. Scott will carefully check how the night guard sits against your teeth, making any necessary adjustments to ensure maximum comfort and effectiveness. You’ll receive clear instructions on wearing your night guard, including recommended usage and proper positioning techniques to get the full protective benefits while supporting TMD treatment goals.
Ongoing Protection Monitoring
We’ll schedule regular check-up appointments to assess how your night guard is working and make adjustments if needed. Dr. Scott will examine your night guard for signs of wear that might indicate changes in your grinding patterns and evaluate improvements in your dental health. These follow-up visits ensure your night guard continues to provide optimal protection and effectively contributes to managing TMD symptoms for years to come.
What Sets Our Orthodontic Practice Apart
At Denver Orthodontics & Dental Lounge, Dr. Desirea Scott combines extensive expertise in orthodontics with a deep understanding of TMD treatment to deliver exceptional care. We use advanced digital technology to create night guards that fit perfectly and address your specific needs. Unlike generic store-bought options, our custom night guards are crafted from durable, high-quality materials designed for maximum comfort and longevity.
Our team takes the time to understand your unique situation, ensuring that your night guard not only protects your teeth but also addresses any underlying TMD concerns. We believe in comprehensive care that improves both your oral health and your quality of life.
Protect Your Smile While You Sleep
Don’t let nighttime teeth grinding damage your smile and disrupt your sleep. Dr. Desirea Scott and our team at Denver Orthodontics & Dental Lounge are ready to help you find relief with a custom night guard solution that perfectly fits your needs.
Your comfort and oral health are our priorities, and we’re committed to providing the care you deserve. Contact us today at 303-590-3929 to schedule your consultation and take the first step toward better sleep and a healthier smile.
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FAQs
How to clean a night guard?
Proper cleaning of your night guard is essential for hygiene and longevity. Rinse your night guard with cool water immediately after removing it, then brush gently with a soft toothbrush and mild soap or non-abrasive toothpaste. For deeper cleaning, soak your night guard in a mixture of vinegar and water or a specialized cleaning solution once a week, followed by a thorough rinse before storing it in its ventilated case.
What is a night guard?
A night guard is a custom-fitted oral appliance worn while sleeping to protect teeth from grinding and clenching (bruxism). Made from durable plastic material, it creates a protective barrier between your upper and lower teeth, preventing wear, damage, and reducing jaw muscle tension. Night guards can be designed to fit on either the upper or lower teeth depending on your specific needs and comfort preferences.
Do night guards help TMJ?
Yes, night guards can significantly help with TMJ (temporomandibular joint) problems by reducing strain on the joint and surrounding muscles. By preventing clenching and grinding, the guard allows your jaw muscles to relax and promotes proper alignment of the joint during sleep. Many patients experience noticeable relief from TMJ pain, headaches, and jaw stiffness after consistent use of a properly fitted night guard as part of their comprehensive TMD treatment plan.
How long do night guards last?
With proper care and maintenance, a quality custom night guard typically lasts between 3-5 years before needing replacement. The lifespan varies depending on the severity of your grinding, the materials used, and how well you maintain the appliance. Signs that your night guard needs replacement include visible wear, holes, cracks, or changes in fit that affect comfort and protection. Regular dental check-ups allow Dr. Scott to assess your night guard’s condition and recommend replacement when necessary.
Does a night guard help with snoring?
While night guards are primarily designed to address teeth grinding and TMJ issues, they may indirectly help with snoring for some individuals. By repositioning the jaw slightly forward, certain types of night guards can help maintain a more open airway during sleep. However, night guards aren’t specifically designed as anti-snoring devices, and patients with serious snoring or sleep apnea concerns may need specialized appliances or other treatments designed specifically for those conditions.
