Night Guard

Advantages of Night Guards to Combat Bruxism

A person who finds themselves clenching or grinding their teeth is experiencing bruxism. In Owings Mills, MD, Crossroads Dental Arts’s knowledgeable dentists can fabricate a custom fitted day or night guard to prevent injury, pain, and tooth damage.

Contact Crossroads Dental Arts today at (410)-363-2121 to schedule an appointment to create a night guard or day guard to prevent damages to your teeth.

What Is Bruxism?

Bruxism is the term used to describe the clenching and grinding of teeth that some patients unconsciously experience during the day or night. This unconscious movement can cause symptoms such as pain in the jaw, neck, and face in addition to causing physical damage to the teeth.

Though the exact cause of bruxism is not known, many factors can contribute to nocturnal teeth grinding. Patients who have high stress levels and anxiety are more likely to suffer from bruxism. Older patients are also more likely to experience teeth grinding. Certain medications can cause bruxism as well.

COVID Clench

Since the rise of COVID-19, many patients have discovered that clenching and grinding has caused their teeth to chip and break, and many patients have come to us with questions about their new dental problems. This is not unusual, as we know two of the contributing factors to bruxism can be stress and anxiety. Naturally, a worldwide pandemic causes anxiousness and stress in patients.

If you are suddenly experiencing teeth grinding that is causing you pain, headaches, or damage to your teeth, consider getting a night or day guard.

Night Guard

Hard Soft guards

Hard soft guards are oral appliances that patients can wear at night or during the day to help prevent pain and damage caused by bruxism. These guards are hard on the outside to protect your teeth but soft on the inside to maintain comfort. Wearing a guard prevents damage to your jaw and can save you quite a bit of money on dental repairs and restorations.

Night Guards vs. Athletic Mouth Guards

Some athletic patients might already have athletic mouth guards and may try to wear them in place of a night guard. This is not recommended, because the two types of mouthpieces serve two functions.

Night and day guards are specifically designed to protect your teeth from the damage of clenching and grinding. Athletic mouth guards prevent your teeth from suffering damage under high impact, which may happen when you’re playing contact sports. Generic athletic mouth guards may also fit poorly, causing you even more trouble while you’re sleeping.

Day Guard

Crossroads Dental Arts’s Services

Whether you need a custom-made night guard to stop your nocturnal teeth grinding or a day guard to stop you from damaging your teeth throughout the day, you can rely on Crossroads Dental Arts  for all of your oral health needs. Our professional staff can assist with many preventative, cosmetic, and general dental care services, such as:

• Teeth cleaning
• Invisalign
• Veneers
• Implants
• Tooth Whitening
• Tooth colored fillings
• Gum Treatment
• And more

The technicians at Crossroads Dental Arts  also use the latest technology to keep your smile looking its best. Your dentist will use equipment like:

• Digital Radiography
• Itero-Digital Scanning
• Laser Dentistry
• Snap Imaging

To schedule your visit to get a custom-made night guard, call Crossroads Dental Arts  in Owings Mills, MD, at (410)363-2121.