If you've had issues with a night guard in the past - you're not alone.
Twin Cities TMJ & Facial Pain Clinic is here to help. We will make you a custom-fit night guard and all the adjustments to prevent damage to the mouth and teeth and stop night guard discomfort.
Have you tried using a night guard, but no longer wear it?
There can be many reasons why a night guard user chooses to quit wearing the device:
- the night guard's fit is too tight on the teeth
- the night guard is too big or too thick, creating discomfort
- the night guard is too bulky, making it difficult to close the lips
- the night guard crowds the tongue which can create a sensation of claustrophobia or even gagging
- the night guard causes the wearer to salivate, drool, or dries out their mouth
- the night guard doesn't seem to help or resolve the problem as intended.
- the night guard seems to make the problem worse.
Still having pain and discomfort, even with a custom-fit night guard?
A common misconception about night guards is that it's normal for them to be uncomfortable, even custom-designed devices, and that you need to "just get used to it" as a wearer. This is untrue and typically is caused by an improperly fitted night guard.
Do you go to bed with your night guard in, but take it out during sleep?
This is caused by improperly fitted night guards. Even very subtle discomfort can cause someone to take it out during their sleep. Adjustments to the fit can help solve this issue so that the wearer sleeps through the night without removing the device.
Have you tried store-bought night guards due to the high cost of custom-designed devices?
Sometimes these inexpensive solutions can solve the problem, and that's great! If you've purchased a store-bought night guard and still are in pain, however, this indicates that it's not helping, and a professional, custom-fit device would be a better option.
Do I need to wear my night guard all the time for it to work?
No. For pain and discomfort caused by teeth grinding, jaw clenching during sleep, sleep bruxism, and other related disorders, a properly fitted night guard should only need to be worn during sleep.
However, if you determine that you clench your teeth in situations where you are awake, wearing your night guard can help protect your teeth and jaw.
"I think my jaw problem ("TMJ") has gotten WORSE from wearing a night guard."
Improperly fitted night guards can worsen TMJ symptoms or other pain problems. Seeing an experienced dentist to adjust the fit of the night guard can resolve these issues and eliminate the pain.