Night Guards
Night Guards
What You Should Know Before Buying
Night guards are widely recommended whether it’s for grinding, clenching, TMJ, etc. However the wrong one can actually cause damage when it should be preventing it!
As with all over the counter products it’s a good idea to be careful because night guards are often soft and your body can mistake them for food. After squeezing down on them like chewing every night, you can drive your back teeth apart, making it impossible to chew your actual food!
This change in the position of your back teeth can happen relatively quickly (a few months) or slowly over time (a few years) depending on how hard you are clenching your teeth together.
*Drs Jasmine Gorton, Diana Schron & Bill Schmohl at Marin Ortho recommend that you consult with a licensed dental professional prior to trying any treatments on your own! Yes, we can fix these issues for you if they arise, but it is more efficient to avoid them in the first place.
The patient below came to us when they realized they couldn’t bite down fully on their back teeth. They had started wearing a night guard and slowly it had shifted their teeth up making it difficult to chew properly.
Before Treatment After Treatment
