Should You be Wearing a Bite Splint?

Bite splints, mouth guards, night guards, or protective dental appliances: should you be wearing one?

We’re not talking about an athletic mouthguard that you see on football or lacrosse players. What our Watrina South dentists mean by a protective bite splint is one that you wear when you’re sleeping or clenching your teeth during the day.

Here’s why:

Protect Your Investments

 Have you recently acquired new dental work? Maybe porcelain veneers, an implant crown, or other restorative work. Do you want your investment to last? Being too rough on your teeth can cause abrasion making porcelain to chip away. Wearing a bite splint takes the pressure off of your “bite” when you’re sleeping at night, so that it doesn’t suffer from unnecessary tension.

Minimize Headaches

 Issues like migraines or TMJD (temporomandibular joint disorder) sometimes originate from excessive tension in the chewing muscles. Training those muscles to relax when you’re at rest can reduce pain or joint issues that make it difficult to eat or even talk.

Reduce Tooth Wear and Fractures

During your dental exam, our Watrina South dentists will check for signs of flat, worn, or sharp tooth edges. These are an indication that you’re placing excessive strain on specific teeth, which could lead to fractures or failing dental work. Sometimes these problems are fixable with orthodontic treatment, but other times it may be due simply to you grinding your teeth too hard against one another when you’re sleeping, stressed or unconsciously clenching during the day.

If you’re waking up in the morning with a tense jaw or teeth that feel sensitive, you could be grinding or clenching them while you sleep. Schedule a consultation at Studfield Dental Group to find out if you need a protective appliance to extend the life of your healthy smile!