teeth grinding - do I want a night guard

[badatmath]

It takes time for the grinding or, in my case, the jaw-jacking to leave a wear pattern significant enough to start thinking about teeth guards. You can be grinding for years with the damage not showing much. But after a certain point it becomes visible enough to do something about.


My teeth were otherwise boring too. Dentists have told me over the years if all their patients had teeth like mine they couldn't earn a living. I wondered too about why at age 60 nobody had noticed the grinding before and I knew I was doing it. I had awoke many times and caught myself lock-jawed/grinding so it didn't just start at age 59.

Makes sense thanks.

 

[Montecfo]

If you grind you need something to keep teeth apart, if you want to keep teeth.

I've been using for 30 years. I think I've only had 2. Current one is hard plastic, upper mount.

I tried the sports ones. Ok in a pinch.

 

[FireBob]

Big grinder hear and I have worn one for 20+ years. Previously they had me with a hard small guard which would last me about 4 years. I recently switched to a big and bulky soft one which I am mixed on. I think it might just be a bad fit though.



I cracked a crown causing a root canal to fail one night when I fell asleep on the couch without my guard in. The loud crack woke me up.

 

[badatmath]

Wow, FB, that sounds awful.

 

[regenaeb]

I have been wearing a night guard for about 8 years now. I cracked two teeth that needed root canals done because of it within a year of each other. The second time I went to the Endontist, he told me I can either keep coming back and paying him for the repair work or get myself a night guard. I didn't want to pay the high cost out of pocket since my dental insurance didn't cover the guards so I always bought the drugstore ones that you heat in water and then mold to your teeth. I would go through about 3 a year of those, but still less money. Last January, I started having major teeth pain that would radiate up into my jaw. I thought I had a tooth problem again and went to my new dentist. She checked me including x rays and could not find anything wrong with my teeth. She told me to contact my PCP to get a referral to a TMJ specialist. I was referred and they said yes, it is a grinding/clenching problem that is causing jaw pain. He told me the cheap ones from the drug store are not sufficient and since they were not molded correctly, my teeth were not lining up at night and I was putting too much pressure on my left side teeth when grinding and causing the jaw pain. They fitted me with a hard guard that sits on my bottom teeth (I always had one for the uppers before). The fitting took almost an hour to get it exactly correct so it would fix my problem. Even now, if I have a very stressful couple of days, I will start having some slight pain, nothing like before, but enough I know I am grinding a lot at night. They have given me muscle relaxers to take at night during those times to get me through until I am less stressed. They work, but I hate the side effects so use them very sparingly. The next step is a special type of guard that hooks to both my upper and lower teeth that will not allow my teeth to touch in my sleep. I really don't want to go that path, but not being able to eat anything but soft foods because my jaw/teeth hurt on one side is not a long term solution. The only good thing I can say is that because this is classified as a jaw issue for me and I see a TMJ specialist the guards are covered under my medical insurance instead of dental, so I pay nothing out of pocket for the guards or the muscle relaxers.

If your dentist is recommending it, I would absolutely get one. Even if you don't want to get the hard one from them at least get the drug store ones and see if those make a difference. They worked for me the first 7 years. Covid pushed me past my normal stress point and needed to upgrade. Last thing you want is thousands of dollars over the years in out of pocket dental work because of damage you are doing while grinding in your sleep.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Most definitely wear one...the cheap disposable kind. A cracked tooth and the resultant root canal/crown and DDS bill is what finally convinced me to start wearing one. DW had reported for years that I grind my teeth, but I ignored her. It was somewhat of a bother the first few nights, now it feels weird if I don't have it in.

The DDS told me that he didn't really believe the hype of grinding teeth=cracked teeth but he said that the number of cracked teeth really ramped up during COVID.

In my 47 years of living, that was the only "major" dental work I have had to had. I don't think I have had a filling in over 20 years. I have ZERO desire for another root canal and/or crown.

 

[badatmath]

Future dental bills sound more scary all the time. By my age you would think I would do better at being an adult but not really. . .

 

[explanade]

I've been wearing for years. I only once got it through a dentist, like $400 or $600, a long time ago.

Then I got these online kits where they send you putty to take a mold and they send you one. Been about $100-150, you can choose different thicknesses, good warranty.

In fact they're readily willing to replace them if you have any issues which makes you suspect these must be pretty good margins.

I ordered a self kit from Amazon for $15-20. You put it in boiling water and mold around after you take it out.

It's more bulky, I would say in some places it's about 3-5 mm thick. Also the fit isn't as tight. I don't think it would slip off but the custom molded ones you have to pull off whereas these will slide out easily.

I wonder if it's okay to have more wiggle room in there.

Also how I would tolerate the more bulk and thickness in some spots.

Anyone use these DIY mouth guards over longer term?

If it bothers me, I would probably get another custom molded one. I got thin ones which are comfortable but they definitely fall apart in about a year.

I tell dentists I get these custom molded ones. Once or twice, they said they wanted to check it out, because a bad fit may not protect or may not work?

It's literally to put a barrier between top and bottom teeth, to prevent them from grinding against each other. So how would they not work? They probably have to find a way to justify what they charge.

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

My dentist office made one for me just a few months ago. It’s not the hard plastic- softer and only cost me $100. I was having issues with my clenching my jaw and it has helped tremendously.

 

[explanade]

Thats a very good price for dentist.

Unfortunately I think it's uncommon.

 

[Sunset]

I used to use the self molded ones you put in boiling water when fighting. I recall they fit pretty good and I still have my teeth so I guess they worked

Dentists make a fortune on these selling them for $400 ea.. it's totally crazy.

Should I need to wear a nightly mouth guard, I would only use the full size (cover all the teeth) ones, and not the short ones the only cover some teeth, as tooth eruption is a possibility and the dentist has no fix for it.

I'll try a few self made ones before I shell out $400 for a piece of plastic type material.

 

[explanade]

The value of the dentist is to check that they fit properly and cover all the teeth.

Something which you may not know, other than that your teeth are covered.

 

[badatmath]

I think I will be getting a new dentist soon so I will see what they think. . . I feel like if it was a significant problem there would be some pain or a prior dentist would have mentioned but what do I know?

 

[DrRoy]

You can try cheaper ones from the drug store.

 

[bltkmt]

I always have mine sized for the bottom as I have a bad gag reflex. Don't know if it matters, as they kind of snap in place (??).

I have a really bad gag reflex as well, and my dentist sized my guard for the top. Not really sure why.

 

[easysurfer]

First appointment with new dentist today. She recommended a surface filling which I agreed to and a night guard which I am undecided. Off to google how bulky they are. . . But she says I grind the crap out my teeth while sleeping. If it is something along the size of a retainer it probably would not be bothersome if huge well not likely to wear it.

You'd be surprised how much you grind your teeth without knowing while asleep. I have a night guard. I usually don't wear it the entire night. When I get up middle of the night, I wash the night guard and put away til next evening.

Still even a few hours each night is better than nothing. I had a new one a few months back. There's already some cracks on the guard. Better that then my teeth.

 

[MRG]

You'd be surprised how much you grind your teeth without knowing while asleep. I have a night guard. I usually don't wear it the entire night. When I get up middle of the night, I wash the night guard and put away til next evening.

Still even a few hours each night is better than nothing. I had a new one a few months back. There's already some cracks on the guard. Better that then my teeth.

+1
When I was working, I completely destroyed mine in 24 months. I'd grind holes through the softer splints and split the harder ones.

 

[livingalmostlarge]

Dentist provided one. I've worn night guards since high school and I still have problems from not remembering to wear it in my 20s. College and awhile after i was lax. Caused a lot of problems. I can't sleep without it now.

I also get botox shots in the jaw to relax the muscle. Helps with TMJ.

 

[Jeffman52]

Ive worn grind guards for about 15 years. I wish I had known about them sooner i could have saved some parts of my lower teeth that have been ground down somewhat.


I highly recommend wearing them if you find out you grind your teeth.

 

[badatmath]

I will ask new dentist once I fire this one. They are dragging their feet getting me in to finish the crown which is paid for.

Although as I mentioned in another thread I am getting let go and won't have dental more than a few weeks.