Dental Night Guard for Lower Teeth

Dental Night Guard for Lower Teeth

Bruxism is a condition characterized by nocturnal grinding of the teeth which wears away your teeth enamel and often leads to oral health issues. This condition, which is most common when you sleep at night, can only be confirmed by your dentist.

Your dentist will likely recommend nightguards: plastic barriers worn over the upper or lower teeth to prevent them from grinding and wearing away each other. Nightguards are most commonly made for the upper teeth. But many patients are not aware that they can also be formed for the lower teeth. Lower teeth night guards could offer better fitting comfort for some people. However, your dentist is better equipped to know which nightguard best fits you.

Advantages of Wearing a Night Guard for Lower teeth

  • Reduced Gag Reflex: a lower teeth night guard reduces the tendency to gag for people with an overly sensitive gag reflex.
  • Better Tolerance: users reported that a lower nightguard feels better than the upper nightguard which irritates when touched with the tongue.

Differences Between A Lower and Upper Night Guard

Night guards are mostly made of vinyl, acetate, acrylic, or rubber and should be latex, silicone, and BPA-free. An excellent custom-made nightguard should fit snugly, and it’s usually better than store bought ones.

Night guards for either the upper or lower teeth can equally protect the teeth against abrasions and wear from Bruxism. Dental professionals recommended that you wear one at a time.

Upper night guards are a more popular option because night guards were initially designed for the upper teeth. However, Dentists and labs are gradually turning to lower nightguards because of their advantages.

Generally, your bite, comfort level, and your dentist’s preference, among other personal factors will determine the design of your nightguard. Upper guards are typically recommended because they don’t remove easily compared to lower teeth nightguard. Dentists favor lower guards because they are often more comfortable and easier to get used to. The ideal night guard should protect all your teeth while not affecting your natural bite.

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