Night Guards

Take the Bite Out of Stress
Sometimes, chronic stress or high-pressure situations can cause people to develop a damaging habit known as bruxism. Bruxism involves unconsciously biting down with too much force at non-mealtimes. It can happen at night or during the day, is generally found in about one third of the population, and is more prevalent among women. 

The inappropriate tendency to constantly clench or grind the teeth is typically a result of poor stress management. In fact, bruxers are often those personality types who react to stress with anger, pain, frustration, or aggressively and competitively. In other cases, bruxism is a conscious attempt to force the upper and lower teeth to touch at all times. What’s more, people with bruxism often have other 'biting' habits as well: such as biting fingernails, pencils, lips, or the insides of their cheeks. In any case, it’s a harmful habit that wears down biting surfaces, misaligns the bite, and can lead to serious dental problems. 

Sensitivity & Symptoms
Because bruxers are often entirely unaware of their habit, We will generally do an automatic check for such a problem. Typically, he’ll look for the following warning signs indicating that you need help with bruxism: unexplained sensitivity in teeth and gums, jaw pain, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain, popping and clicking jaws, tense muscles, headaches, excessive wear or flatness on teeth, worn enamel, partially exposed and sensitive tooth interior (dentin), and/or tongue indentations. In severe cases, frequent clenching and grinding may cause the entire jaw to move out of balance.

Conscious Rest & Protection from Stress
The good news is that once a person becomes aware of the problem, they can often break the habit of bruxism and prevent further damage. We may recommend behavior therapy, where the patient learns to consciously rest the tongue, teeth and lips in a healthy position: tongue upward, teeth apart, lips closed. For patients who require extra protection and reinforcement, We can take an impression and create a custom-fit bite-absorbing plastic appliance for day and/or night use.

If you have more questions regarding night guards, please feel free to call our office at 510-796-1656 or write us at hp_dds@yahoo.com and we'll be glad to assist you.