Is a Dental Night Guard Right For You? Pros And Cons Explained

Nighttime Protection

It goes without saying that the primary purpose of the night guards is to act as a cushion to protect your teeth, especially from grinding. Teeth grinding may lead to a dental condition called bruxism.

Bruxism is a result of unconsciously tight teeth clenching, especially your molars. Over time, if not treated properly the situation worsens and may cause adverse consequences like thinness of enamel, dental sensitivity, worn-out molars, strained jaw muscles, and headaches.

In such a condition, night guards are knights in shining armor. First of all, they directly work on the root cause by acting as a protective layer between the upper and lower arch, separating both of them. Since now they can’t collide, bruxism and its results are reduced automatically hence:

• No pain
• No sensitivity
• Protected enamel
• No chipped or cracked teeth
• Pain relief from jaws, temples, and teeth

Tired of Snoring? Not a Problem!

Do you fight frequently with your partner due to snoring and sleep disturbance? Snoring is not just a nuisance but may also be an indicator of sleep apnea if paired with morning fatigue.

No worries night guards have gotten your back! When night guards are placed in the mouth, the space between the jaws is reduced. Resultantly, the soft tissue vibrations are reduced. Hence, no snoring and fresh mornings!

A Solution to Sleep Apnea

A night of quality sleep is important to maintain good health and allow your body to rejuvenate itself. However, if you are feeling any disruptions while sleeping then you must pay heed to the cause, as it may be a sign of an ongoing chronic condition like sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a dreadful sleep disorder in which breathing stops periodically while sleeping and then restarts. Moreover, as mentioned above, snoring, morning fatigue, and dizziness are its other symptoms.

If left untreated, it may lead to an obstructed oxygen supply to the brain contributing to an increased risk of strokes and heart diseases. Contentedly, acute to moderate sleep apnea can be treated without a CPAP machine by just using night guards regularly.

Night guards help by pushing the tongue and lower jaw forward, reducing any hindrance in the airway passage, hence regulating breathing. In comparison to other sleep apnea treatments, they offer a discreet, portable, comfortable, and user-friendly solution.

Save Yourself from Morning Headaches

Do you sleep for 8 hours but still suffer from morning headaches? This headache may be because of teeth clenching that strains your jaw muscles and temples, resulting in headaches.

You can alleviate this pain by using a drug-free alternative i.e. integrating night guards into your routine. The guards ease the jaw contractions to reduce strain on your muscles, hence relaxed jaws and no headaches.

Mitigates Symptoms of TMJ

Other than bruxism, teeth crushing, leads to another oral problem called TMJ (temporalmandibular joint) disorder. In this condition, your jaws feel chained or locked while making even the simplest mouth movements like opening and closing.

If you hear a clicking noise while moving your mouth, it may be a sign of the onset of TMJ. Other than jaw stiffness and discomfort, it causes chronic headaches, cheek irritation, and toothache.

Do You Know?

According to research conducted by the U.S. Department of Health And Human Services, around 10 million Americans are affected by TMJ. Another important insight of the research shows that the majority of affected people include women.

The best way to treat this condition, especially if caused by bruxism is night guards. Night guards do not just give you relief from the situation but are also an effective preventive measure to stop it from getting worse.

However, we recommend you start using it in advance to avoid all this, as the famous proverb says,” Prevention is better than cure!”

Comfortable

Some retailers, like ALIGNERCO, offer several variations in night guards including:

• Multiple guards thickness (soft, hard, hybrid), specific to the needs of each customer
• Customized night guards that offer a snug fit and ultimate comfort.
• Guards for either the upper or lower arch separately, giving you the freedom to shop according to your comfort.
• The ease of getting the guards at the ease of your home. Simply send your impressions with the virtual assistance of a specialist and get your customized night guards within 2-3 weeks!

The Struggle For Developing New Habit

It's a very obvious thing, developing a new habit is hard and requires consistency, diligence, and patience! Typically, people feel very uncomfortable when they use it for the first time; however, with time they get used to it.

Treatment Limitations

Remember, no treatment is the ultimatum and has some limitations. There might be a slight possibility that night guards may not offer complete protection against bruxism as the underlying cause might be stress. Until the stress isn't reduced you will keep teeth grinding and see little to no progress despite the regular use of the guards.

High-Maintenance

Like any other dental tool, night guards demand intense care and maintenance routine to avoid any bacterial buildup, discoloration, stinky smell, and prolonged lifespan. Otherwise, instead of benefiting from the, you may end up offering a breeding ground to bacteria, leading to sore throat, cold, and other health-related issues.

Demands Replacement

Though the average lifespan of mouth guards can be as long as 5 years, however, under certain circumstances, they need to be replaced. So if you have undergone any dental procedure like braces, crowning, or filling get your guards replaced immediately.

In the case of even a subtle shift in teeth alignment, replacement becomes a necessity. Additionally, if you have either lost or growth teeth, the older night guard must be replaced.

Replacing them especially if you are purchasing them for your kids every 6 months or annually can be an inconvenience and financially straining for some people.