Night Guard Specialist

What is teeth grinding?

Teeth grinding or bruxism occurs when you tightly clench your teeth or repeatedly rub them against one another. Because teeth grinding often happens when you’re asleep, it’s a hard habit to break.

How do I know if my child has bruxism?

If your child grinds their teeth at night, Dr. Phaeton and Dr. Kil can see if their teeth are starting to wear down at their routine dental exams. However, some telltale teeth grinding signs to watch out for at home include:

• Morning headaches
• Tooth pain
• Loud grinding noises while your child sleeps
• Daytime fatigue
• Jaw pain
• Earaches
• Tooth sensitivity to hot or cold food/drink
• Chipped teeth
  
  

Without proper treatment, teeth grinding can lead to increased pain, fractured teeth, painful jaw clenching, and more, so visit Oasis Pediatric Dental Care & Orthodontics right away if you think they have bruxism.

How is teeth grinding treated?

The most common treatment for teeth grinding is a custom-made night guard. These retainer-like night guards are made out of a special type of plastic that provides a barrier between your child’s upper and lower teeth, while also cushioning their teeth from the force of clenching.

Not only do night guards protect your child’s teeth from damage, but they also relieve the pressure caused by clenching and grinding, so they can sleep more soundly at night.

How is a night guard made?

If your child’s Oasis Pediatric Dental Care & Orthodontics dentist notices any telltale signs of bruxism, they will take highly accurate impressions of their mouth to create a custom-fit night guard. 

Next, these impressions are sent off to the dental lab to fabricate a custom night guard made out of soft, dual laminate or hard acrylic.

When your child’s night guard arrives at Oasis Pediatric Dental Care & Orthodontics, their dentist shows you how to use it properly. They will also check the fit to ensure no additional adjustments need to be made.

While you can buy and “boil and bite” a night guard online, these are not custom-made to fit your child’s mouth, so they aren’t as comfortable or effective as a night guard that your dentist creates.

A night guard can help protect your child’s teeth from pain, cracks, and more. To schedule an appointment with Oasis Pediatric Dental Care & Orthodontics, call or book online today.