Five Benefits of a Nightguard

If you suffer from nightly jaw clenching, tooth grinding, a condition called bruxism,  or tempomandibular disorder, called TMD, you know how uncomfortable the side effects can be.  You may regularly wake up  with headaches, jaw or facial pain, notice your teeth are wearing down, or experience disrupted sleep patterns.   Fortunately there is a simple solution that can dramatically change your life - being fitted for a nightguard.  Whatever your reason for wearing a night guard, consistent use of it offers five key advantages.

It Protects your Teeth from Wear 

Although not all wear and tear on the teeth happens at night, a lot of it can.  The nightly habit of unconsciously grinding and clenching your jaw can lead to chipped teeth, damaged fillings and excessive wear on the teeth.  Having the protection of a thin piece of plastic covering the occlusal surfaces of your teeth is kinder to them and when plastic meets tooth, it is the plastic that tends to wear - not the tooth surface. 

Alleviate Pain & Headaches

Unfortunately, there are a host of discomforts that accompany bruxism and TMD.  Patients often complain of a sore or tender jaw, morning headaches, ear aches, neck pain, sensitive teeth, muscle fatigue, facial pain and spasms.  A properly designed night guard will have a well adjusted, aligned and balanced bite which can "shutdown" the muscles in your jaw and allows them a night time rest. Many patients report their facial and jaw muscles are more relaxed when they wake up and that they no longer have headaches, jaw pain or other symptoms. 

Keep Your Teeth in Place 

Although teeth appear stationary, they are not.   The nightguard functions like an orthodontic retainer and wearing it nightly will keep your teeth in place and will not allow them to "drift".  This can be especially important for older patients.  The night guard acts like a splint and keeps teeth that have experienced bone loss from developing excessive mobility, which can help prevent tooth loss.

Improve Your Sleep Patterns  

Nightguards provide maximum comfort while minimizing your symptoms, which ends up drastically improving your sleep patterns. The nightguard positions your jaw in such a way that facilitates muscle relaxation, and by keeping these muscles relaxed, you can avoid the stress-filled, interrupted sleep that often accompanies bruxism and TMD.  Interrupted or impaired sleep can wreak havoc with your mood and energy levels, and can also increase your risk of heart disease, prevent you from losing weight, and raise your blood pressure.  

Money Saving in the Long-Term

The tooth damage caused by the unconscious nightly grinding and clenching of your teeth and jaw tends to be quite costly. Perhaps the greatest downside of teeth clenching is that it slowly but surely destroys your teeth over the years. When this happens, the restorative dental treatments required for both aesthetic and functional purposes are an expensive investment.   Just as important, nightguards may help you have the uninterrupted, restorative sleep we need to function at our best, and maintain the best possible health.

Nightguards are comfortable, practical, and affordable - and the benefits can be immediate.  Many patients report a restful night of sleep, and that their pain has disappeared, after wearing their nightguard for just one night.  At Jeff M. Morrison & Associates, getting your own nightguard is a simple process and typically is done with just two visits, one to create a custom mold of your teeth, and another to test the fitting. The advantages of wearing a nightguard are too great to ignore. If you think a nightguard might be right for you, contact Jeff M. Morrison & Associates and start protecting your teeth today.

Did you find this blog post helpful?  Give us some feedback and also let us know if there are other dental or oral health topics you may be interested in.  

Affordable Dental Care For Your Children: The St. Mary's Street Dental Savings Plan:

A report in The Journalof the American Dental Association (JADA) shows that dental benefits play a significant role in meeting the dental needs of children.

The authors examined data from more than 65,000 participants and found U.S. children enrolled in dental care plans were less likely to experience delayed care, had fewer dental problems, less severe problems, and lower treatment costs than those without coverage.  

Unfortunately, not all families can afford dental insurance for their children. That's why Raleigh dentist Jeff M. Morrison created the St.Mary's Street Dental Savings Plan (Plan).  The Plan is $375 per year and includes:

• Two examinations,
• Two cleanings,
• X-rays, and
• Two fluoride treatments for children under age 14. 

Families with children enrolled in the plan save $101 per child off out-of-pocket expenses. Additionally, Plan members receive a 15% discount on all other procedures such as fillings, sealants, wisdom teeth removal and emergency exams. 

If you’re thinking about purchasing dental insurance, consider the St. Mary's Street Dental Savings Plan - the affordable alternative to dental insurance. The Plan is simple and straightforward - there are NO yearly maximums, deductibles, waiting periods, forms to fill out, exclusions,  age restrictions, or enrollment periods (join anytime!) - just GREAT dental care at a cost you can afford. 

At Jeff M. Morrison & Assoc., DDS we LOVE our younger patients.  From first tooth visits, to teens getting their wisdom teeth removed - we handle it all.  We understand the importance of your child having a good relationship with their dentist, and a positive experience at their dental visits. These are key to establishing good oral hygiene habits early on, and can impact a child’s dental health for their whole lives. Dr. Morrison and his team take pride in their gentle approach, making sure that children are comfortable and relaxed during their visit. Our dental hygienists are trained to teach oral hygiene skills to children of all ages. We often hear from parents that their children like coming to the dentist!

Looking for a thoughtful gift for a child in your life?  You can purchase a subscription to the Plan and make sure that your niece, nephew, grandchild or any other child in your life has all the benefit of great dental care. 

"No parent wants to cut corners with their children's oral health.  With the St. Mary's Street Dental Savings Plan, our families can access the care they need for their children at a cost they can afford" says Dr. Morrison.  

Anyone can enroll in the Plan - not just children.  Find out more about the Plan or contact our friendly staff to enroll your children - or your entire family - today.

Article: Associations among dental insurance, dental visits, and unmet needs of US children, Zhou J. Yu, BSc, Maryam Elyasi, DDS, Maryam Amin, DMD, MSc, PhD, The Journal of the American Dental Association, doi: 10.1016/j.adaj.2016.11.013, published February 2017.