Nightguards – Louisville, KY

Have you ever woken up to pain in your teeth or jaw? What about a morning headache? Are your teeth sensitive to hot and cold temperatures? These are all signs that you might be grinding or clenching your teeth while you sleep. The best way to treat this harmful condition is by getting a custom nightguard from one of the dentists here at Bell Dental. A nightguard is a tray worn over the teeth to prevent them from touching while you sleep, and it truly works wonders. Contact us today to get a custom nightguard made, and continue reading below to learn more about teeth grinding, or bruxism.

What Is Bruxism?

Bruxism is a fancy word for clenching or grinding your teeth. Since it happens at night more often than not, most people with bruxism are unaware they have it. It’s estimated that 30 to 40 million Americans have this condition. Although teeth grinding usually occurs at night, it can sometimes happen during the day as a result of poorly managed stress or anxiety.

How can you tell if you have bruxism? The following are common symptoms:

• Waking up with a headache, jaw ache, or sore teeth
• Sensitive teeth caused by tooth enamel being worn away from the friction of grinding
• Pain in the TMJ, or the jaw joint just under and in front of your ear
• Tight or painful jaw muscles
• Your bed partner noticing a grinding sound coming from your side of the bed at night
• Swelling on the side of your lower jaw

What Are the Negative Effects of Bruxism?

Persistent nighttime grinding or clenching of your teeth can cause tiny cracks, fissures, or breaks in your teeth. Bacteria can enter these cracks and cause decay deep within the tooth that results in a seriously painful cavity. If that happens, then root canal therapy might be the only option to treat it. Bruxism may also cause your enamel to wear down over time. This leaves the sensitive layer underneath the enamel, known as the dentin, exposed. Your teeth may become sensitive to hot and cold temperatures.

You may also contract temporomandibular joint disorder, or problems with your TMJ. This joint allows you to move your jaw forward and back and side to side. Grinding places unnecessary stress on that joint that can ultimately lead to the disorder. Symptoms of this condition, called TMD, can include:

• Earaches
• Facial pain
• Headaches
• Dislocation of the jaw
• Popping sounds during jaw movement

Why Should You Use a Custom Nightguard in Louisville?

To treat bruxism, you could always buy a nightguard from the drugstore, but the truth is that they don’t work nearly as well as they need to. They don’t provide you with the relief you need. That’s why it’s much better to invest in a custom nightguard from a dentist in Louisville. We’ll take custom impressions of your unique bite to design your trays. That way they’ll fit much more snugly over the teeth to prevent your teeth from making harmful contact at night.