Teeth grinding - dental guard suggestions?

[angie_nrs]

My son is grinding and 'tapping' his teeth terribly throughout the night. It's so loud that it routinely wakes me up and his room is across the hall from ours. If he keeps this up his teeth are going to be flat as a pancake, not to mention the fact that his dental bills are going to be astronomical, especially as he ages.

He doesn't want to get a dental guard from the dentist. He says he won't wear it. I have a feeling that's b/c DH has one that sits in the bedside drawer. DH doesn't grind nearly as bad as DS though. Plus I'm wondering if any of the over the counter dental guards work just as well.

Any thoughts??

TIA

Angie

 

[ellesan]

Angie, I have dealt with teeth grinding (bruxism) and clenching for years, I didn't notice it until after I had braces I think...anyway it's lead to major TMJ problems. Definitely get it taken care of now and address it. It will cost you less now!

The one thing that worked really well for me was something called an NTI device. Here's a link with some good info and a photo/description of the device. Unfortunately a housekeeper threw mine away a few years ago and we moved. I do have a guard and it helps from grinding, but not clenching and doesn't help the TMJ problems at all like the NTI device did. It's easy to use and wear and made a huge difference for me. I need to get a new one!http://www.stevedds.com/tmd.htm

My son is grinding and 'tapping' his teeth terribly throughout the night. It's so loud that it routinely wakes me up and his room is across the hall from ours. If he keeps this up his teeth are going to be flat as a pancake, not to mention the fact that his dental bills are going to be astronomical, especially as he ages.

He doesn't want to get a dental guard from the dentist. He says he won't wear it. I have a feeling that's b/c DH has one that sits in the bedside drawer. DH doesn't grind nearly as bad as DS though. Plus I'm wondering if any of the over the counter dental guards work just as well.

Any thoughts??

TIA

Angie

 

[mgm1]

I second the NTI resommendation. It was expensive but worth the price. Before I started using it, my teeth were chipping, which costs a lot to fix. I don't know if over the counter products are good as this one. NTI is custom made for every individual and this makes a big difference. It did take me a few nights to get used to it. I would go with the professional guards from your dentist.

 

[angie_nrs]

Thanks so much for the suggestions. I guess it's off to the dentist we go.... I just hope he wears it.

Angie

 

[janie1234]

Angie I work for a a dental office, . . trust me if he grinds that badly you want to address the problem. If he refuses to wear the night guard I would have his dentist show him some pictures of what teeth look like of people who grind. When you say flat as a pancake, . . .that is not an exaggeration. I've seen people with really, really flat teeth, . . not to mention all the other problems that are caused such as the TMJ, chipped teeth, teeth sensitivity, . .root canals. Hopefully he won't have to suffer in pain to get the picture. I would also maybe video record him and show him how bad it is. That might light fire under him to get this fixed. Good luck.

 

[RunninTeach]

Ange,

I used to grind my teeth & clench, and it did bring about root canals (I've had a total of 3 now) and some minor jaw issues. Luckily, I seem to have grown out of it. My dentists never recommended a guard to me, but in hindsight, I would've GLADLY worn one to have avoided the pain and expense. Great idea to have the dentist "scare him straight." Good luck!