A nightguard, sometimes called a biteguard or splint, is simply a piece of material that fits inside the mouth while you are asleep to prevent contact between your top and bottom teeth. Nightguards can be pre-made, heat-adjustable, or custom-made. The nightguard that will work best for you depends on your specific dental situation and any issues it causes.
Here at Piper Family Dentistry, we make custom nightguards that fit perfectly in your mouth and go along with the contours of your teeth and gum line. They have many advantages to a bulky, one size fits all guard found at the store. You will never have to worry about sore spots or an ill-fit with one of our nightguards since it will be custom made just for you! We do not recommend pre-made nightguards long term as they very rarely actually fit in the mouth correctly and can sometimes cause injury to the TMJ. Heat-adjustable nightguards, also called “boil and bite”, are sometimes suitable as a temporary measure until a custom nightguard can be made.
When you choose a high-quality, custom-made nightguard, you’ll enjoy the following benefits:
Stops Bruxism
The main reason nightguards are recommended is to stop bruxism, or grinding, squeezing, clenching of the teeth. Bruxism most often occurs at night while you are sleeping, so you may not even be aware you are doing it! However, even if you’re not experiencing any symptoms yet, your dentist can most likely tell due to the uneven wear on your teeth.
Correcting bruxism as soon as possible is essential to preserving the structural integrity of your teeth, and more importantly, the gum and bone supporting your teeth. The constant clenching and grinding seen with bruxism can cause severe tooth damage as well permanent loss of gum and bone. In fact, some teeth are damaged so badly that an extraction is the only option left. Don’t let bruxism leave you with a painful tooth and a larger dental bill… get a nightguard now to save time, money, and sanity later.
Prevents Pain
Since a nightguard keeps the top and bottom rows of teeth separate, there is less opportunity for the TMJ (temporomandibular joint) to move around. Less movement means minimal wear on the cartilage supporting the joint, which means that the cartilage will stay in better shape for longer, preventing pain from your jaw and skull bone rubbing together.
A nightguard will also stop teeth grinding which can shear down or even break your teeth, causing extreme pain. Anyone who has ever broken a tooth can tell you how intense and unbearable the pain can be, so anything you can do to prevent this is well worth it.
Preserves Your Smile
Do your teeth look flat on the chewing surface? Wearing down of teeth can change your appearance and is not a natural part of aging. The edges of your front teeth should be rounded and the back teeth should have points or cusps. If they are flatten this could be a sign or bruxism. A nightguard may be one of the treatment options to prevent further wear. Restoring the shape of the teeth may be necessary as well.
Custom Nightguards in Tampa Bay
If you’re ready to start enjoying all of the benefits that come along with a custom-made nightguard, there’s no better time than now. At Piper Family Dentistry in Largo, we’ve helped countless patients with their mouth pain, bruxism, snoring, and more using our superior quality nightguards. Check out our reviews, then call us at (727) 548-7100 to schedule your appointment today. You’ll be glad you did!
Dr. Piper is a General and Cosmetic Dentist who has proudly served Pinellas County since 1993. Both he and his team of professionals provide high quality, gentle dental care in a relaxed, personalized, and caring environment. Treating patients like family sets his practice apart from others.
