After a hard day’s work, nothing sounds better than a cup of milk and a good night’s sleep to get ready for the next one.
For several people, however, hectic schedules, filled with sleepless nights, numerous cups of coffee, unhealthy eating habits, and tobacco usage, severely impact their sleeping patterns.
Considering all these factors, people can develop the undesirable habit of clenching and grinding their teeth while sleeping, a typical problem known as bruxism. This can have serious long-term consequences: tooth enamel loss, tooth damage, and even tooth loss, as molars are the most common disease victims. Furthermore, severe cases of bruxism might lead to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) discomfort or gum disease.
Dental Night Guards: A Solution to Bruxism
Thankfully, the dentistry field has developed a straightforward technique to deal with bruxism without the need for medicine intake: the dental night guard! You can get the protection your teeth deserve at night while trying to cure the causes of your teeth grinding in the first place with this essential gadget.
At first sight of bruxism symptoms, our expert Patuxent Orthodontics dental team advises you to schedule an orthodontic consultation. Do you suffer from constant headaches? Do you commonly experience jaw soreness, face pain, and tiredness from lack of sleep? You may need a dental night guard. So let’s look at the many types and lifespans of dental night guards!
The 3 Factors Affecting the Durability of Dental Night Guards
The lifespan of your dental night guard will be determined by the severity of your teeth grinding and the way you clean and store the device from start to finish. Let’s look at each one, in turn, to see what kind of behavior is best with dental night guards:
1. The Severity of Teeth Grinding When Sleeping
Because people grind their teeth at various levels, they require different dental night guards to protect them. As a result, you must be sure that the dental night guard you choose is durable enough to withstand the force of your teeth grinding. Otherwise, your dental night guard will soon become obsolete.
2. Care and Maintenance of Your Dental Night Guard
Unlike removable dental retainers, continual maintenance of your dental night guard is required to ensure its longevity. Please make sure the device is kept in a clean, secure location and that any debris on its surface is removed as soon as possible. Your dental night guard will become a haven for germs and other pathogenic microorganisms if you don’t take appropriate cleaning measures.
3. Eating or Drinking With Your Dental Night Guard On
People forget to remove their night guard on rare occasions before eating. Although a small number of such occurrences will not cause any problems, continuous eating and drinking will result in the deterioration of your dental night guard’s material and bacterial growth. And, as previously discussed, let us not forget all the germs and microorganisms!
Different Types of Dental Night Guards Last Longer
We’re excited to hear that you’ve decided to get a dental night guard for your bruxism.
We’ll help you pick out the best device for your condition, keeping an eye on the intensity of your teeth grinding.
Let’s look at three of the most popular choices available on the market!
Soft Night Guard
These night guards, usually given to patients with mild bruxism, are constructed from a softer material that provides adequate protection and durability.
Soft night guards are the best option for people with mild bruxism who have fewer and less severe teeth clenching and grinding attacks.
Dual-Laminate Night Guard
The dual-laminate night guards, which feature two material layers (a soft inner layer and a hard outer layer more suited to withstand higher pressure), are a more robust version of the soft night guard.
Dual-laminate night guards can help moderate or borderline severe bruxists sleep better. These devices will last for approximately five years on average if maintained correctly.
Hard Night Guard
The hard night guard is our top pick for the most durable dental night guards. It uses tough plastic throughout the guard, with a thickness of 2mm or more, providing unrivaled protection and durability for over five years in some cases.
If your teeth grinding jeopardizes your oral health, you should select a hard night guard.
Get Your Dental Night Guard at Patuxent Orthodontics!
Contact Patuxent Orthodontics if dental night guards is the solution to your dental woes. Whether you want to learn more about the benefits of orthodontic care or have questions about the process, use our live chat or call (240) 802-7217 or send us a message through our contact us page to connect with our friendly staff today and book a complimentary orthodontic consultation! Our office, located at 44220 Airport View Dr., Hollywood, MD 20636, proudly serves Maryland’s Patuxent area, as well as the Greater Washington DC area. So, if you’re residing in Hollywood, Wildewood, or Leonardtown and are looking for one of the best orthodontists in Maryland, don’t hesitate to visit our office! We also invite you to keep up with our blog to get answers to many of the frequently asked questions about maintaining your perfect smile and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to become a part of our smiling community!
