Elevated dental care for whole body wellness
Grinding or clenching may lead to worn enamel, jaw soreness or cracked restorations. At our Terwillegar dental practice, we examine your teeth, jaw and bite before discussing a night guard or bite splint. We explain what an appliance may help with, its limits and whether other care is needed.
Night guards and bite splints are removable devices worn on teeth. They may limit wear from grinding or be considered for jaw symptoms. Your dentist checks your teeth, jaw and bite first.
Grinding or clenching may happen during sleep or while awake. Repeated pressure can wear tooth surfaces, damage fillings or contribute to jaw-muscle soreness. An exam helps identify signs of grinding and whether an appliance, habit changes or other care may help you.
A dental assessment helps distinguish grinding-related tooth damage from jaw symptoms that may need different care.
We discuss clenching and grinding, examine teeth and jaw movement, and review suitable care. If an appliance may help, we explain its fitting, proper use, maintenance and follow-up care.
A guard may be considered when grinding damages teeth or restorations. Jaw pain, painful clicks or limited movement can require a broader assessment. Not everyone with jaw sounds or grinding needs a splint.
We examine teeth and jaw function before advising care. A guard may protect teeth from grinding. For jaw pain, we explain the limits of splint evidence and other conservative options.
Patients often ask whether guards stop grinding or ease jaw pain. These answers explain common questions, but an examination is needed to choose the right approach for your symptoms.
Not always. A night guard separates the teeth and may limit grinding damage, but may not stop the habit. Your dentist checks for wear, damage and jaw symptoms before recommending one. Other steps may include reviewing clenching patterns, sleep concerns or factors contributing to grinding.
A bite splint may help some people, but evidence for TMJ pain relief is limited. Painless clicks need no care. Your dentist checks jaw movement first. A splint should not permanently alter your bite. Stop using it and seek advice if pain increases.