Why I Wear a Nightguard, And Why You Might Need One Too

By Dr. Laura Schmidt

If you’d told me a few years ago that I’d be one of those people who wears a nightguard to bed every night, I probably would’ve laughed. I didn’t think I clenched my teeth, I wasn’t waking up with sore muscles or broken fillings. But then the jaw pain started.

As a dentist, I know the signs, and I see them everyday in patients who also swear they don’t grind or clench their teeth. They usually give me a surprised look and say something like “But I don’t think I do that!”

And I get it, I said the same thing.

So What Does a Nightguard Actually Do?

Nightguards are custom made acrylic devices that fit over your teeth-usually the upper teeth. They’re not magic shields that stop you from clenching or grinding. In fact, most people still do clench or grind while wearing them.

What the nightguard does do is change how the forces are distributed when your teeth come together. Here’s why that matters:

-it helps protect your jaw joints (your TMJ’s) by changing how pressure moves through the bite

-it reduces damage from the “locking” of tooth cusps together, because the nightguard has a flat plane the teeth glide instead of lock together

-it protects your enamel and fillings from fractures and excessive wear

In my own case, wearing a nightguard has made a huge difference in my life. It’s to the point where I can no longer sleep without it!

“But I Don’t Want to Wear a Nightguard”

Totally fair. Many patients worry that a nightguard will be bulky, uncomfortable, or hard to sleep in. And I’ll be honest: the first few weeks do take some getting used to.

But here’s the good news: a custom nightguard is nothing like a thick athletic mouthguard (the kind that hockey players wear). It’s much more sleek, lower profile and precisely fitted to your teeth. Most people adjust quicker than they think they will!

Wearing a nightguard isn’t about treating a problem you know you have, it’s often about protecting yourself from damage you may not even realize is happening.

And one of the most validating moments? When patients come in for a checkup and comment about the wear marks on their nightguard. There’s something incredibly re assuring about knowing that the guard is taking the hit, not your teeth or jaw joints.

Hopefully this helps!