Night Guards/Sport Guards Specialist

What are night guards?

Night guards are a great way to reduce the effects of grinding your teeth at night. They are made from a double-layered material to help cushion and protect your teeth while you sleep. Night guards prevent you from waking up with a sore jaw or headaches. Sports guards are made from a similar material to protect your teeth from sports-related hits and blows. Night guards will require a prescription from your dentist.

Why do I need a night guard?

If you’re among the estimated 8% of adults in the United States who have sleep-related bruxism, more commonly called teeth grinding, you may benefit from using a night guard if you tend to grind or clench your teeth throughout the night.

These habits can result in long-term damage to your teeth, such as abnormal wear and breaks or fractures. Night guards also provide cushioning for your teeth and jaw, preventing the jaw soreness, painful teeth, and headaches that bruxism commonly causes.

How do night guards work?

Night guards are made from a durable material, double-layered for heavy-duty protection. To ensure a perfect fit, you visit the office for a mold that David or JB makes of your mouth.

The night guard is designed to fit snugly over your teeth, and it may feel tight for several days until your mouth adapts.

You should wear the guard every night while you sleep — and around the house if you tend to clench or grind your teeth while awake. Maintaining the guard is simple: You can use your toothbrush and a small amount of paste to remove debris, much like brushing your teeth.

What are the benefits of a sports guard?

A sports guard can minimize damage to your teeth, tongue, gums, and jaw in the event of physical contact with another player, a fall, or any other type of trauma.

If you’re active in sports, your teeth are at risk for a variety of injuries, including permanent tooth loss.

The mouth guards available at Denture Services Northwest are custom-designed to fit over your teeth, eliminating shifting or total loss of the guard during activities.

Find out more about the benefits of custom-fit night guards and sports guards by calling the Lakewood office for an appointment or by using the online booking feature.