Night Guard

Night guards are vastly misunderstood. And there are so many different kinds, and one kind does not suit every patient.

A well made night guard does the following:

1. It separates the teeth enough at night so that the clenching muscles cannot contract fully, allowing them to relax

2. It protects the teeth from the wear and tear of grinding against each other

3. It protects the temporomandibular joints (TMJs) by unloading them.

Night guards are a wonderful adjunct to a multi-faceted approach to combating muscle spasm. They are not the only solution, but part of the solution. But patients feel the difference almost right away when they start wearing them.

They do need to be made correctly, though. If you have ever worn a night guard that is very uncomfortable, and you find that you remove it in your sleep at night, you need a better one that you will tolerate. Our night guards are 3D printed from scans of your teeth, and fit like a glove.

Patients often ask if their Invisalign retainers can be worn in place of a night guard. The answer is generally not. The clear retainers are too flimsy. They may protect the teeth from chipping, but that’s about it. They will not unload the joints and they will not prevent the muscles from contracting.

If you have headaches and jaw pain and you have tried other treatments and maybe even other night guards, we would love to see you and help you become pain-free.