Do I Need a Night Guard
Dear Dr. John: My dentist says I am a bruxer and need a night guard? Can you explain what a night guard is, how they are made and how much they costs?
Catherine-Palo Alto
Bruxism is the dental term for tooth grinding. This condition wears teeth prematurely and may cause facial pain and or jaw joint pain. People who grind and clench, called bruxers, they unintentionally bite down too hard at inappropriate times, such as in their sleep. People usually aren’t diagnosed with bruxism until it is too late; many people don’t realize they have the habit, and your dentist isn’t aware until the premature wear presents itself. Bruxism is fairly common, it is estimated one in three people suffer from bruxism.
I believe the root cause of buxism can be attributed to stress, and certain personality types. Specific emotions such as anger, pain and frustration can also trigger bruxing.
Once diagnosed, your dentist may prescribe a plastic mouth appliance, called a night guard. It is worn to absorb the force of biting and clenching, and prevents tooth on tooth contact. This appliance can prevent future damage to the teeth and the jaw joint, and may help in changing the patient's destructive behavior.
A night guard is a hard or soft plastic horseshoe appliance that fits snugly over the biting surfaces of the teeth.
Most custom night guards are fabricated in the dental laboratory from a mold of your teeth. After the dentist receives the night guard from the laboratory, he will adjust it to make sure it is comfortable and the occlusion is correct. A properly fitted night guard should feel comfortable, although initially it may feel snug.
The cost of a custom fitted night guard from your dentist will range from $250- $1000. The specific cost of a night guard depends on how its made and the purpose for which it will be used.
Better smiles for all.
Dr. John J. Russo
Dr John Russo, “Ask the dental doc.” cannot diagnose or treat patients through the newspaper. Without all available information about a patient it is impossible to make a diagnosis. Only you and your dentist can make an appropriate treatment decision. It is the individual's responsibility to use due diligence to determine what is proper treatment.
© J. Russo
