Are you aware of the benefits of wearing nightguards? Read more about why you should start wearing nightguards to protect your teeth.
Nightguards keep your teeth safe from night grinding damage. Let’s explore the benefits of wearing nightguards to sleep.
Prevent TMJ Disorder
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) links your jaw and your skull and is essential for chewing. When you clench your teeth during sleep, it puts pressure on the TMJ, which can make it go out of alignment. This can lead to a problem called TMJ disorder.
TMJ disorder can cause trouble with chewing, pain in and around your ear, and even headaches. It might also harm the articular disk, which can’t be fixed and could lead to your jaw getting stuck open or closed, needing a visit to the emergency room.
The benefits of wearing nightguards are helpful in reducing the tension in your jaw muscles, which can prevent TMJ disorder from happening.
Prevent Tooth Damage
When you grind your teeth, it’s not something you control and can harm your teeth. The more you do it, the more you damage the protective layer on your teeth called enamel. Among the benefits of wearing nightguards is teeth protection.
Enamel damage makes your teeth super sensitive, so hot and cold stuff can hurt. Plus, without strong enamel, your teeth risk getting cavities. If the cavities get deep, you might end up with infections.
Teeth grinding can also break weak teeth and wear down any fillings you have. Your teeth are designed to handle the force of chewing and biting, but the extra pressure from grinding is too much. It can lead to painful tooth fractures or cracks.
Dealing with a broken tooth is painful; you must visit the dentist. Sometimes, they can fix it with a filling, but other times, you might need more expensive treatments like crowns, root canals, or even lose a tooth. If you lose a tooth, it can be fixed with bridges or implants.
Prevents Headache
When you have chronic neck and head pain and persistent headaches, it could be a sign of bruxism. This is because problems with the jaw joint (TMJ) often manifest as migraines. Tense muscles in your neck, shoulders, mouth, and jaw can lead to these headaches.
Before you conclude that teeth grinding is causing your headaches, there are some signs to look for. If your teeth are flat on top instead of pointed, you likely grind your teeth while sleeping. You can also check for receding gums and bone, which can happen because of clenching.
One of the benefits of wearing nightguards is they help stop these headaches. Nightguard relaxes your muscles, so they don’t get all tense and cause pain.
Saves Money
A nightguard made for everyone costs about $20, but it’s not a good choice because it’s uncomfortable. A custom-made nightguard from a dentist can be around $800, which is a lot of money if you have bruxism. However, don’t let the cost stop you from getting a nightguard.
When you compare the cost of a nightguard to the cost of fixing dental problems later, the nightguard is a money-saver. It is one of the benefits of wearing nightguards that are custom-made.
If your teeth get damaged and need fixing, it will be much more expensive. Restorative dentistry costs a lot, like fillings, crowns, or even replacing lost teeth with implants. Fixing your bite is also pricey. So, in the long run, a nightguard is a more affordable option.
Prevents Bite Shift
A nightguard is made to fit your teeth and how your jaw comes together because it’s meant to stop your teeth from grinding against each other. Among the benefits of wearing nightguards is that it prevents bite shift.
Sports mouthguards are softer and made of thicker, rubbery stuff, and they’re not designed to match your bite. The softer material might make your brain think you’re chewing food while you sleep, leading to muscle discomfort and wearing down the soft material faster.
Using a sports mouthguard at night could gradually change how your teeth come together when you bite. You might not notice it at first, but your bite can shift over time, leading to problems.
Conclusion
The blog guides you on the benefits of wearing nightguards. Consult your dentist and choose the right nightguards to protect against tooth damage. Contact Dentalsways for more details. We are always happy to help you maintain your oral health.
