In my dental practice, I have delivered hundreds of these night guards. I would estimate that between 40-60% of dental patients would benefit from a night guard. Patients often ask, why I would recommend this to them.
First, when I see evidence of advanced wear on their teeth, then I know that there is a history of grinding or clenching. These forces can cause so much damage. A night guard distributes the forces so that they are shared between many teeth. A night guard can even decrease the forces that can be applied.
Second, when I see a number of back teeth with evidence of root canal therapy, then I also highly recommend these guards. The reason for this is that root canal-treated teeth are more brittle and thus are more likely to crack or to break. The night guards protect these root canal-treated back teeth.
Third, when I see many molars that are covered with crowns, then I recommend the night guard. My thought is that harmful forces contributed to the need for these crown. Further, I know that the guard will help all the crowns to last longer.
Lastly, when patients have jaw joint issues, TMJ issues, cheek soreness, or neck or back soreness, I also consider inviting them to pursue a night guard. We have seen symptoms improve when patients have our night guards, which very much resemble a TMJ appliance.
We know that for many patients, this recommendation of a night guard has not been discussed. Instead, fillings or crowns are done, and for some, the need for dental care never seems to end. We have experienced these guards ending these never-ending treatment cycles. These guards really are a huge help when they are well-constructed and when they are worn regularly.
We thank you for your interest. We invite you to peruse our website, which is written and published by me, Dr. Mark Venincasa.
We invite you to request an appointment by following this link, or by calling us at (972) 250-2580.
