Nightguard

How many of us have been affected by heavy bruxing – whether our own or that of someone in our household? Bruxing is a dental disorder where the patient grinds their teeth at night and wears them down! Often the grinding is so loud that it is heard in adjoining rooms. Fortunately a solution is now available in the form of a night guard.

There are many causes of the grinding. The two most important are a problem with the bite and stress. However, everyone has some stress. So, from a treatment standpoint, the best approach is to do something about the bite. If a minor correction can be made, then this is the first solution. But, if the bruxing is severe, and the patient has numerous symptoms – such as sore muscles, popping of the joints, frequent headaches, and wearing down of the teeth – then a night guard is indicated.

What it does is separate the teeth at night so the patient cannot grind them together. This protects the enamel, and keeps the teeth from becoming loose from the grinding forces. It also protects the tops of the teeth from becoming flat.

A nightguard is an intraoral device that provides a thin layer of soft or hard acrylic or plastic between your teeth. It does not always stop the bruxing completely, but will greatly reduce the wear it causes. The nightguard can be made to fit on the upper or lower teeth, depending on the nature of the bite. And, they can be made flat, or somewhat contoured, again depending on the particular conditions of the patient's bite.

Not only does a nightguard reduce the damage to teeth, it lets others sleep comfortably as well. You may also find that as the teeth move with less effort, the headache that many bruxers complain of is often reduced.

Dental Headgear

It used to be common to see people with class II malocclusion (excess horizontal overbite) wearing elaborate dental headgear to try and pull their teeth back into position. The trend today is to use conventional braces many times. Even if a neckgear or headgear is needed, it is not worn during school hours.

It was often found that children experienced major difficulties in wearing their headgear. The issues involved were primarily social. Young patients, when confronted with the prospect of wearing headgear, would complain that it was like having a bit in their mouth.

Besides, there was always a danger of the headgear breaking or the child getting hurt while roughhousing or playing. (Orthodontic headgear should not be used while swimming or playing contact sports).

In spite of the objections mentioned above, there are still a few occasions when headgear is preferred to other forms of orthodontic correction. Your orthodontist will determine whether headgear is indicated, and advise you of the reasons at your consultation appointment.

Types of Headgear

Headgear comes in different types to suit specific conditions. For instance, there may be a strap that fits over the head to a metal facebow that has a "J" wire that fits with the front teeth brace.

In case of an overbite, the dental headgear is used to pull the teeth backwards or to arrest the forward growth of the jaw. In case the tension provided by the headgear is inadequate, the orthodontist may also advise using elastics to provide additional pressure.

If this is so, you need to ensure that the elastic is replaced every three to four days to retain the pressure and ensure that there is always a supply at hand.

Cooperation with the Dentist

A key issue in using dental headgear is cooperation. The patient needs to provide excellent cooperation and ensure that the headgear is in place for the prescribed number of hours per day. These hours seldom number less than 16.

A significant number of these can be accumulated while asleep, but there is daytime use also. This cooperation is often difficult to obtain from younger children, who are very peer conscious.

Dental headgear was used commonly some time ago. However, most orthodontists will not prescribe it today simply because there are equally good and far more acceptable options available today. Many orthodontic clinics will simply not prescribe any type of headgear today.

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