Clenching, Grinding and Sports Guards
Clenching and Grinding Guards
Clenching and grinding your teeth can have devastating effects to your dentition. In addition to natural wear and tear, clenching and grinding can significantly accelerate tooth surface loss, result in sore head and neck muscles, produce dental sensitivity, and may cause damage to your jaw joints. The first line of treatment is often guard that protects your teeth from this damage.
What are the causes of teeth grinding?
The jury is still out on this one, but likely the following factors play roles:
Stress or anxiety
Obstructive sleep apnea or sleep related breathing disorders
Certain medications, alcohol, or recreational drugs
Sports Guards
Your favorite sports such as; hockey, football, baseball, and basketball, can unfortunately cause inadvertent damage to your dentition. A sports guard can help avoid, or reduce the extent of the damage caused by such an adverse event. Custom made sports guards fit your teeth and mouth precisely to improve comfort and maximize the protective benefit.
Sports guards can also be used to improve your athletic performance in certain activities such as power lifting or strength training. Specially designed sports guards can be designed to protect against the clenching that gives you an extra push of strength in the gym.