Teeth Grinding and Dental Nightguards

Bruxism is the involuntary grinding or clenching of the teeth, sometimes done as a force of habit unconsciously during the day or when stressed, but more typically occurring during sleep. Bruxism is common in young children, and usually goes away on its own by adulthood, however in some cases it can remain, and steps need to be taken to protect your teeth and jaw from the effects of bruxism. 

While it is not known precisely what causes bruxism, it is a relatively common condition, and it is quite possible for a patient to grind their teeth at night and be unaware of it. During your 6-month dental check-up, your dentist will always examine your teeth for evidence of excessive grinding. 

Many of us grind our teeth while we sleep, often without realising it. While infrequent grinding or clenching is unlikely to cause any harm in the long term, grinding while asleep makes it nearly impossible to disrupt the habit and prevent it having serious consequences for our oral health over time.

Prolonged, heavy grinding puts our teeth under great stress, and can lead to pain or discomfort of the jaw or facial muscles, chronic headaches, and even breakage of the natural teeth or dental restorations. If you suffer from bruxism (this unconscious habit of grinding your teeth while asleep) your dentist may advise you to have a custom-fit nightguard made, to absorb the forces generated by grinding and so prevent future jaw and tooth pain and damage 

While the exact causes of night-time teeth grinding are not always clear, there are a number of factors that may contribute to bruxism and may trigger you to grind and clench your teeth unconsciously more than normal: 

• Increased or persistent stress or anxiety
• Certain medical conditions, such as sleep apnea
• Excess caffeine intake and the use of tobacco
• Disruption to sleeping patterns by alcohol or drug use 
• A poor bite – misalignment of the jaw has been thought to be linked to increased instances of bruxism. Your dentist will be happy to discuss potential straightening solutions at any time with you, such as conventional braces, 6-month braces or the Invisalign system
• Similarly, having multiple missing teeth can contribute to alignment issues with a patient’s bite – solutions to fill a space left by a missing tooth or teeth include dental implants, bridges, or dentures

In severe cases or when the condition has been allowed to continue unchecked for many years, teeth grinding can lead to a number of issues impacting both a patient’s overall oral health and quality of life: 

• Pain in the jaw, teeth and facial muscles, including in some cases persistent headaches 
• Disrupted sleep, both due to the associated discomfort and noise of teeth grinding, and common co-morbidity of bruxism alongside other sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea or chronic snoring
• Wearing down of the outer enamel of the teeth, eventually leading to cracking or breakage 
• Damage caused by increased wear leading to shortened teeth, affecting the uniform biting surface of your teeth and appearance of your smile
• Cracking or even fracture of any dental restorations (such as crowns or veneers)

The nightguards you can buy directly without a dentist consultation are designed to have the broadest fit possible, and so are often poorly fitting for the individual and won’t protect your teeth to the same degree as will a custom-made nightguard designed especially for your mouth. 

No, a mouthguard is not uncomfortable to wear, being designed to fit snugly and securely to your teeth, with a cushioned top layer where it meets the roof of your mouth.  However, most people will take a day or two from first application at night to get used to wearing their mouthguard falling asleep. 

With proper care and maintenance, you can expect your nightguard to last for 1 to 2 years of continuous, daily use. Once your nightguard begins to show signs of wear you should think about getting it replaced to maintain its full benefit to your teeth and sleep. 

A nightguard is a very effective, risk-free method of combating the pain and consequences of teeth grinding, and is usually the first treatment your dentist will recommend to help prevent jaw or face pain associated with bruxism. 

However, if your pain continues even with consistent use of your mouthguard, or if your discomfort is very severe, your dentist may recommend that you have anti-wrinkle injection treatment (Botox treatment) into some of your more active facial muscles. Although this treatment is also available as a cosmetic procedure, when used medicinally a lesser amount of the injection is used than when utilised to alter the appearance of the face, but its application can still relax your over-worked facial muscles. Following the treatment, the muscles cannot then generate as much force, so he pressure applied to your teeth and jaw from clenching will be greatly reduced, in turn decreasing the pain, discomfort, and related issues caused. 

Depending on the severity of your pain from persistent teeth grinding that is not relieved by a nightguard, you may need to have this treatment carried out between 2 to 4 times per year.

At Truly Dental a consultation and fitting of a nightguard costs €150.  

If your grinding habit is more severe your dentist may recommend a more advanced type of nightguard called a Michigan Splint which starts at €450. 

Whether you know you suffer with grinding your teeth at night, or need to see a dentist about unexplained jaw pain, headaches, or worn and damaged teeth...

Call (0)1 525 2670 or book your initial consultation and be fitted for your new, custom-made Dental Nightguard today