Hamilton Night Guards & TMJ Treatment
If you’ve often been waking up in the morning with a sore jaw or a headache, you may be clenching or grinding your teeth (bruxism) at night without realizing it. Our Hamilton dentists work closely with you to determine the best course of action to take and create custom-made, comfortable night guards so you can wake up feeling well-rested.
What Is Bruxism?
What Is TMJ?
TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint disorder and unfortunately, it’s a permanent disorder that adults suffer from. But luckily, thanks to advances in dentistry, there are ways to improve TMJ disorders like jaw discomfort and the wear and tear of teeth with custom-made night guards.
What Are Night Guards & How Will They Help?
Custom-made night guards can be made for both the upper and lower jaw. They ultimately act as a barrier between your teeth and relieve tension from habits like clenching and grinding.
They can be made from a few different materials – a softer material is the most common, but it’s for less severe cases whereas a harder, thicker acrylic material is for patients with TMJ disorder. As always, our professionals will discuss what the best material will be for your specific case.
Are Night Guards Comfortable To Wear At Night?
Many patients shy away from talking about night guards because they don’t think they’ll be comfortable to wear at night, but that’s not the case. Custom-made mouthguards are specifically meant to ensure your comfort at night so you can wake up feeling well-rested without a sore jaw or headache. Of course, it takes some getting used to at first, but within a few weeks, it’ll become a normal part of your nightly routine.
Other natural ways to reduce clenching and grinding at night include:
- Limiting alcohol and caffeine consumption (particularly two to three hours before bedtime)
- Limiting sugar consumption
- Quitting smoking
- Taking a warm bath before bed
- Doing yoga
- Getting a massage
- Stop habits like biting on pens during the day
- Lessen chewy food intake, like gum or steak
Nightguards not only help you have a better night’s sleep, but they also save the enamel on your teeth. As your grinding or clenching habit worsens, you run the risk of weakening your enamel which can lead to more issues like cavities and even tooth loss. Enamel plays a huge role in the healthiness of our teeth and it can be tough to restore if not dealt with as soon as possible.
