Night Mouth Guard
SRD on Helton Drive in Florence, AL
 Our dentists can create a custom mouth guard or oral appliance that will address two common sleep disorders: obstructive sleep apnea, and sleep bruxism.
Bruxism is teeth clenching and grinding (while awake and while sleeping). The condition, caused by intense jaw contractions, is connected to obstructive sleep apnea and stress. Frequent grinding during sleep, especially during the night, can cause a nuisance. It can disrupt sleep, disrupt sleep partners, and damage teeth. Providing a customized night mouth guard to protect your mouth is what we do at Singing River Dentistry.
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Symptoms of Sleep Bruxism
Dental damage can cause pain, tooth sensitivity, chipped teeth, and loose teeth. Sleep bruxism causes pain in the jaw, neck, and face. It can also produce headaches that begin around the temple or pain like an earache. Patients with bruxism struggle to open and close their jaws fully. In addition, they might have tightness or fatigue around the jaws, or possible damage to the inside of their cheeks if they chew on them. This can also damage any dental work that has previously been done.
Custom Mouth Guards Are a Solution
It is possible to remedy sleep bruxism by wearing a night mouth guard. The device is like a retainer because it is composed of plastic pieces that cover both the upper and lower teeth to prevent them from coming into contact with one another.
It is necessary for a dentist that is professionally trained for this to take a teeth impression to create a custom mouth guard. This composite material is then sent to a lab for fabrication into a guard that is custom-fitted. Following the fabrication, we will make any necessary adjustments to ensure that the guard fits properly.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Bruxism
Dentists will also look for bruxism as a sign of a more severe condition called sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea patients typically have bruxism.
There is evidence that obstructive sleep apnea is linked to several more serious diseases including glaucoma, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, strokes, and heart attacks.
With this condition, the throat muscles relax more than they should, preventing air from entering the airway. When the brain detects a problem, the individual awakens abruptly, elevating the airway muscles so that regular breathing can continue. The quick response produces hormones, putting the body under stress and perhaps causing teeth clenching to keep the airways open.
Breathing pauses and shallow breathing can occur during sleep. These can last anything from a few seconds to several minutes. There may be a loud snorting or choking sound once regular breathing returns.
Treatment with an Oral Appliance or Mouth Guard
Therapy using an oral appliance is recommended as the first option for treatment for patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea and can be especially useful for patients with serious obstructive sleep apnea who cannot tolerate wearing a CPAP and prefer to use a mouth guard for its comfort, lack of noise, ease of use, and portability. An oral appliance is a device worn in your mouth while sleeping, and its design is like a sports mouth guard. They function by pushing the lower jaw forward sufficiently to open the upper airway and keep the tongue and throat muscles from closing and obstructing it.
Schedule With Your Dentist in Florence on Helton Drive Today!
We can help you with both bruxism and sleep apnea by devising a customized device designed to fit your body and meet your specific needs. Visit our dental office at Singing River Dentistry if you would like to learn more about night mouth guards and how they are constructed. To schedule an appointment, please call (256) 904-4220.
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