A nightguard is used to protect the teeth and jaw in people who clench or grind their teeth when they sleep. Clenching or grinding consists of biting down and moving your upper and lower teeth with great force against each other. While this seems like a minor issue, constant grinding can cause several problems, such as:

• Flattened or worn down teeth
• Excessive sensitivity to heat or cold
• Pain
• Cracks
• In extreme cases, tooth loss

All of these symptoms would require additional dental care; however, extra dental treatments could be avoided through the use of a mouthguard.

To prevent complications that come from grinding your teeth while you sleep, your dentist might recommend using a nightguard to protect against damage. As with normal mouthguards, there are three types of nightguards available:

• The boil and bite type is available in drugstores; it allows you to create a nightguard that fits your teeth better.
• The stock version is the premade kind, which your dentist can give you, but it may not give you the best fit.
• Customized nightguards, which are made by your dentist from molds, x-rays, and scans of your teeth to create a mouthguard that fits you specifically.

If you’d like to learn more about how a nightguard might help you or a loved one, contact us today! Schedule your visit by calling (215) 261-7003.