"Bruxism" means grinding and/or clenching of teeth. It is considered a nonfunctional habit that can occur while awake or asleep. Grinding your teeth while asleep is more of a problem since most people will grind their teeth much harder than they ever would while awake.  Such "Nocturnal Bruxism” is a very common sleep behavior that a many people will experience at some time in their lives. It often is more evident during times of personal stress. Bruxism is a problem if evidence of worn enamel exists and/or if painful jaw symptoms develop.

One can grind their teeth so hard that significant amounts of tooth structure can be lost over time. Typically this happens with no awareness by the patient since there is no pain or visible cavities in the teeth. Night time clenching, more subtle than grinding results in cracking and fracturing of back teeth. One major goal of a night guard is to stop this destruction of tooth structure as soon as possible. Otherwise, the teeth affected would need extensive, costly dental work to be restored.

Often nighttime bruxism is accompanied by pain in the jaw joint and/or muscles. A night guard is one of the most important steps in relieving this problem, known as TMD (temporomandibular disorder). Even if no pain is present, wearing a night guard may aid in preventing the development of this painful problem, and protect the jaw joints from excessive pressure that may lead to damage in them.

You need to wear the night guard each night for it to work properly. It takes a few nights to get adjusted to, but it is usually comfortable to wear.

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