Most people occasionally grind and clench their teeth from time to time without causing harm. This is medically known as bruxism. When teeth grinding occurs on a regular basis, the teeth can be damaged and other oral health complications can arise. Protecting your teeth with a nightguard appliance is proven preventive measure that will protect your teeth and smile from abnormal tear and wear.
In some cases, chronic teeth grinding can result in a fracturing, loosening, or loss of teeth. The chronic grinding may wear teeth down to stumps. When these events happen, bridges, crowns, root canals, implants, partial dentures, and even complete dentures may be needed.
Night Guards
If you or someone in your family grinds their teeth during their sleep or during the day you may have already seen the symptoms. Grinding your teeth can result in some consequences including:
- Wearing off tooth structure – especially the biting or chewing surfaces
- Breakdown of the ligaments that support your teeth
- Loss of jaw bone
- Soreness in jaw joints or facial muscles
- Headaches
If you suspect you are grinding your teeth, Dr. Nosente Bollo-Kamara at Shoreham Dental in North York can help to verify this. A sleep partner can also tell you if you are grinding your teeth at night. Many times people learn that they grind their teeth by their loved one who hears the grinding at night.
Sport Mouthguards
When playing any contact sport that has a significant risk of injury such as hockey, football and soccer, everyone should wear a mouth protector. Make sure the sport guard properly fits to your mouth while you are wearing it, making it easy to talk and breathe. Your smile is a valuable asset that should always be protected!
Custom-Fitted Sport Guards in North York
Custom fabricated sports mouthguards are essential in the prevention of athletic oral/facial injuries. Dr. Nosente Bollo-Kamara at her North York Dental Office can help you obtain a properly fitted sport mouthguard that will be protective, comfortable, resilient, tear resistant, odorless, tasteless, not bulky, cause minimal interference to speaking and breathing, and (possibly the most important criteria) have excellent retention, fit, and sufficient thickness in critical areas.
Sports guards are custom made appliances that fit over your teeth and are designed to absorb shock. When worn during sports activities, sports guards help protect against injuries to the teeth and jaw joints and reduce shock from spreading to your cranium that may be connected to concussions.