Snore & Brux Guards

Bruxism is the medical term for excessive tooth grinding and/or jaw clenching. Because our jaw muscles are capable of producing hundreds of pounds of force, continuous grinding and clenching can cause significant damage to teeth and jaws without dental intervention. Unconscious grinding or clenching

Bruxism is the medical term for excessive tooth grinding and/or jaw clenching. Because our jaw muscles are capable of producing hundreds of pounds of force, continuous grinding and clenching can cause significant damage to teeth and jaws without dental intervention.

Unconscious grinding or clenching during waking hours is referred to as “awake bruxism.” Awake bruxing frequently occurs during times of focused concentration, stress, frustration, or anxiety. Simply being aware of clenching and grinding is often all that’s necessary to stop. Further possible treatments include jaw relaxation and stress-reduction techniques, mouthguards, and medication.

More commonly, bruxism takes place while sleeping. Because sleeping bruxers are unaware that repetitive grinding or clenching is taking place, sleep bruxism may lead to serious dental complications over time.

Bruxing can cause fractured and chipped teeth, worn tooth surfaces, and lost enamel. Major damage might require a crown or an extraction. Bruxing pressure can crack veneers, fillings, and crowns, and is linked to dental implant failure. Persistent bruxing can injure the temporomandibular joint, the complex joint which allows us to move our jaws in all directions.

Sleep bruxism has been linked to a variety of possible triggers, among them:

• Stress and anxiety
• Personality type
• Cigarette smoking
• Alcohol and caffeine consumption
• Sleep apnea
• Problems with bite or tooth alignment
• Certain medications and medical conditions
• A hereditary tendency in families

While there is no cure for sleep bruxism, your dentist can help you manage the condition. Relaxation techniques, lifestyle adjustments, medication, sleep disorder treatment, dental or medical care, for example, can help address the triggers for your bruxism.

And you can prevent further damage to your teeth and jaws with the use of a custom-fabricated nightguard. Nightguards fit over the teeth, preventing tooth injuries caused by grinding and reducing stress on your jaw.

Your dental team will take an impression of your teeth and a dental lab will create an appliance tailored to your specific needs. Because these nightguards are custom fitted by your dentist, they are more effective, more comfortable, and more durable than over the counter options.

There are symptoms which may indicate that you’re sleep bruxing before serious dental damage appears. These include:

• Tooth pain or sensitivity
• Enamel which appears flattened or worn
• Chipped or cracked teeth and cusps
• Loose teeth
• Frequent headaches or facial pain
• A sore jaw or clicking and popping noises when you move your jaw
• Earaches or ringing in your ears
• Waking up with tongue, mouth, or cheek injuries
• Fatigue due to sleep disruption
• Being overheard grinding your teeth
• If you have any of these symptoms and suspect you might be grinding or clenching your teeth, consult your dentist right away. Prompt treatment can help maintain and protect your dental health.

SNORE GUARDS
Snore Guards & the Dangers of Snoring
It is estimated that more than 90 million North Americans snore. Taking into account the snorer’s spouse and children, as many as 160 million people are negatively affected by snoring. And snoring doesn’t merely interrupt your sleep cycle. The struggle for breath can result in snoring blood pressure, which can damage the walls of the carotid arteries and increase the risk of stroke. At certain levels of severity, complete blockage of the airway space by the soft tissues and the tongue can occur. If this period of asphyxiation lasts longer than 10 seconds, it is called obstructive sleep Apnea (OSA), a medical condition with serious long-term effects.

Snore Guards are a custom-fabricated dental device that moves the lower jaw into a forward position, increasing space in the airway tube and reducing air velocity and soft tissues vibration. Special Slide-Link connectors are attached to transparent flexible upper and lower splints. The splints are custom laminated with heat and pressure to the dentist’s model of the mouth. The fit is excellent and comfortable, permitting small movements of the jaw (TMJ) and allowing uninhibited oral breathing.