If you believe you suffer from bruxism or some form of TMJ dysfunction, which is causing you to grind and clench your teeth at night while sleeping, a custom dental mouthguard is a very effective way to help save your teeth. Your teeth can only handle so much stress, wear and tear before they start to break down. A custom mouthguard from Dr. Claire Cho and the team at Claire Cho DDS in Aliso Viejo, California, will provide you with many benefits.
Since most teeth grinding occurs when you sleep, your control over this is basically non-existent. This is a problem itself, but when you add the damage this is doing to your teeth, you are looking at a situation that can have a devastating long-term effect on your dental health. The more you grind your teeth, the more enamel you will lose. One particular issue a loss in the enamel can result in is tooth hyper-sensitivity. You may find that eating foods that are either hot or cold (or both) are becoming increasingly difficult. Enamel also protects your teeth from bacteria. When this protection is worn away due to teeth grinding, your teeth are now more susceptible to decay. Wearing a custom mouthguard provided by your dentist will protect your teeth from damage, and you will not need to worry about wearing down your enamel.
TMJ dysfunction will often present itself through chronic headaches in the morning. These headaches are caused by the stress of clenching your jaw muscles and grinding your teeth. If you wake up first thing in the morning with a pounding headache or stiff and tense muscles in the neck or shoulders, you could be suffering from bruxism or some form of TMJ dysfunction. A custom-created mouthguard will help ease your morning pain as your muscles will not be so tense overnight.
A custom-made nightguard will vary in price, but they will not be cheap. Even if the upfront cost seems excessive to you, it will do you a world of good to think about the alternative. There is no comparison when comparing the upfront cost of a custom mouthguard to the cost of restorative dental work. If your teeth are allowed to be worn out and develop cracks or fractures, the only way out will be expensive restorative work that could have been avoided with a custom guard.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Claire Cho for a custom mouthguard, please call (949) 541-2529 today.
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