Overview
Teeth grinding and jaw clenching in your sleep are two really great reasons to visit your dentist. Miller & Miller Dentistry in Plano, TX. Our general and cosmetic dentists, Dr. Chris and Dr. Matt, believe that you can and should protect your teeth and jaw with an easy-to-wear, custom-fit night guard. People of all ages can clench their jaw and grind their teeth (even children) while they sleep. Not treating bruxism, the official name for grinding the teeth and clenching the jaw during sleep, tends to damage the teeth, cause chronic pain, inflammation, and headaches. Not to mention worn down, chipped, or fractured teeth can be the source of more complex oral health issues. A personalized night guard can be crafted from premium materials rather than the one-size-fits-all night guards you may buy at the store. You will be comfortably fitted for our night guards by Dr. Chris Miller or Dr. Matt Miller, which will make wearing the appliance feel more secure, give you better protection, and last longer than store-bought brands. If you are a new or current patient who would like to learn more about night guards or what bruxism can do to your teeth, please contact our office for an appointment.
Reviews
Best Candidates
One of the main symptoms a night guard candidate will bring up during a consultation is that they wake up with a sore jaw or a "tightness" in their face that cannot be explained. However, there are many other factors that can also be taken into consideration, such as:
- Teeth grinding
- Clenching the jaw
- Teeth pain and/or sensitivity
- Jaw pain
- Inflammation or swelling
- Loose teeth
- Teeth with cracks, chips, or loose fillings
- Broken restorations (dental crowns, bridges, implant crowns)
- Enamel missing from the molars
- Gum problems
With no one cause or known cure, bruxism has to be managed to protect your teeth, gums, and facial bones. A candidate for a night guard will want to relieve some of the distressing symptoms and/or pain from the nightly teeth grinding. The Miller & Miller Dentistry team will take all of your concerns into consideration in helping you decide which night guard will give you the most benefit.
What to Expect
Dr. Chris and Dr. Matt will make molds of your upper and lower teeth and take X-rays and/or impressions. Your molds are sent to a quality certified dental labs. The custom-made night guard will be made from the top quality materials in a certified dental lab. A follow-up appointment will be scheduled once the night guard has been created. Then, at the next appointment, you will be fitted with the new night guard by our dentists, who will take the time to see that it fits properly. Once appropriately adjusted, you can take it home and begin wearing it at night.
Follow-up
While fitting the night guard, our dentists will give you thorough care guidelines on how to clean and store the night guard. With good care, a night guard can be used for years. You should clean the mouth guard before and after each use. Our dentists will look for general wear on the night guard at your dental examinations and discuss with you when the night guard needs to be repaired or replaced. If you have any questions or need a replacement, please call our office and make an appointment.
Guard Against Grinding
A personalized night guard created by our dentists, Dr. Chris Miller and Dr. Matt Miller, at Miller & Miller Dentistry in Plano, TX can protect you from the harmful grinding and clenching you do involuntarily in your sleep. This therapy is to prevent you from waking up with headaches, pain in your face and jaw, and long-term damage to your teeth. Let's find a way to protect you from the complications of these nighttime issues with a personalized night guard at Miller & Miller Dentistry.