Smile-Maintaining Dentistry

Night Guard

What is a Night Guard?

A Night Guard, also called an NTI,  is a tiny, clear-plastic device that fits over your top 2 front teeth.  You only wear it while you sleep to prevent  clenching your teeth.  The Night Guard  stops your upper and lower  back teeth from contacting each other which eliminates clenching your teeth together.  It is an FDA-approved device that has been used successfully in thousands of people to help stop headaches, sore jaw, stiff neck and sensitive teeth.
 

How Does the Night Guard (NTI) Device Work?

Clenching your teeth involves contracting powerful muscles in your jaw.  Interestingly, the strongest muscle in your body,  in terms of force applied per unit area, is the masseter muscle, the muscle used in chewing.  On the picture to the right, perfect spot No. 7 is where the masseter muscle joins to the skull. 
 
Pressures up to 270 lbs have been recorded  for the force of the bite of human molars. This extreme pressure can easily cause pain in surrounding tissues, joints and other muscles. 
 
  
Clenching your teeth is the result of these very strong muscles tensing up about 6 to 20 times more intensely than those who do not clench their teeth.  This can cause morning headaches, jaw pain, stiff neck, and sore, sensitive teeth. Keeping the back teeth from touching reduces clenching and provides relief within a few days to a few weeks. 
 

Many patients report significant relief after just one night of using a Night Guard!   

Mouth Guards

Our office prepares custom athletic mouth guards for anyone in sports.  Did you know that most sports now require players to use mouth guards?   These individualized mouth guards give peace of mind for active  people and their families.  Formed from a model of your teeth,  custom-made mouth guards are designed to cover all your teeth and are shown in the literature to offer the best protection. Dr. Finney will  determine if any appliances (braces, retainers, bridgework, dentures) might  be affected by wearing a mouth guard 

What Can I Do To Make My Mouth Guard Last?

Like all sports equipment, proper care will make any mouth guard last longer. Keep your mouth guard in top shape by rinsing it with soap and water or mouthwash after each use and allowing it to air-dry. With proper care, a mouth guard should last the length of a season. Bring your mouth guard to your dental visits so Dr. Finney can insure it is in the best condition possible.