Does A Night Guard Help Straighten Teeth?

Made to protect teeth against grinding damage, mouthguards or night guards for bruxism (teeth grinding) are designed to fit your mouth precisely. But can night guards both protect you from grinding and help straighten your teeth?

Huffman Dental Office TX reveals that it’s not true. While some orthodontic devices are created to realign teeth, bruxism night guards are specifically designed to protect against the effects of teeth grinding—not to shift or straighten teeth.

Maintaining oral health requires understanding the right tools and treatments for your specific condition. Whether you’re dealing with bruxism or seeking an emergency dental service, knowing which dental appliance serves which purpose is crucial.

Every dental treatment has a specific use. Let’s dig in more about the basic function of night guards and why they can’t help straighten teeth. There is always more to learn from your trusted dentists. So, stay connected and stay informed.

Could a Night Guard Straighten Your Teeth?

Custom-fit night guards for bruxism are stronger and usually thicker than transparent aligners and/or retainers. They serve more to prevent teeth from grinding and clenching than to straighten teeth. Even though the extra bulk of night guards helps protect teeth from grinding damage, they are not a good choice for teeth straightening.

If you have bruxism, a night guard will help you see how your teeth are positioned. Because it fits your teeth so well, the guard that you make can’t move or fix your teeth. As your teeth move, you will always need new aligners.

After several orthodontic treatments, Huffman Dentist TX and other orthodontists advise wearing a night guard to stop more harm. While some splints are used to correct a bite, night guards are not usually used to straighten teeth.

For TMJ (temporomandibular joint disease), repositioning splints help with malocclusion and shift the bite into appropriate alignment to release pressure on the jaw muscles. TMJ stabilization splints help maintain a healthy bite alignment. These devices are not meant to correct teeth; they can only change the bite position.

Why Night Guards Cannot Straighten Teeth

Examining how orthodontic treatments function can help one understand why night guards cannot straighten teeth. Receiving treatments, including transparent aligners and wires or braces, involves constant, progressive stress on teeth to shift them to a new position.

This whole process is calibrated and accurate; hence, an expert may have to change it at various intervals. But night guards have a somewhat different use:

• Mouthguards do not give continuous pressure to reset the teeth’s position.
• Usually utilized in sports or sleep, they are insufficient to influence orthodontic change greatly.
• Their primary purpose is not to realign the teeth; rather, they serve to guard them from breakage or attrition.

What are Other Teeth Straightening Solutions

Since night guards can’t help straighten teeth, what are some other solutions? Orthodontic treatments aiming at alignment help to produce a straight smile. Let us investigate the best choices:

Braces

Conventional orthodontics involves a set of braces with wires that provide a consistent force on the teeth. This force gradually moves teeth to their proper placements. They are good for complicated alignment problems. And they are suitable for all ages. But you need regular dental appointments.

Clear Aligners

Clear aligners are revolutionizing orthodontics. Specifically shaped to the teeth, these translucent, removable trays progressively align them. They simplify tooth straightening without several trips to the orthodontist. They are almost unnoticeable and perfect for teenagers and adults. Comfortable and catered to your dental needs.

Lingual Braces

Fixed at the back of the teeth, lingual braces offer the same effect as regular braces, plus the benefit of being invisible.

Curing Bruxism: A Night Guard’s Major Purpose

Straightening your teeth shouldn’t be done with bite guards to treat bruxism. Additionally, avoid using them with braces. Keeping your teeth and gums helps you avoid braces and dental implants.

Using a mouthguard meant to straighten teeth or maintain their position could be appealing if you already have one for bruxism. These kinds of guards, nevertheless, are not meant to shield your teeth. Without a night guard for bruxism, your oral health could suffer from tooth damage, jaw pain, or lost tooth enamel.

Affordable custom-fit night guards at Huffman Dental Office TX help to guard your teeth from bruxism. Every night guard we have is created in a professional dental lab and is guaranteed to fit comfortably with our guarantee.

The Last Opinion

Can night guards, therefore, straighten teeth? The response is no. Although not meant for orthodontic correction, night or mouth guards are necessary for protecting teeth in sports or bruxism.

Current orthodontic treatments, such as braces or transparent aligners, are far more successful for a straighter smile. Clear aligners from Huffman Dental Office TX provide a practical, discreet, reasonably priced way to get precisely aligned teeth.

Maintaining dental health requires a good mouthguard, whether playing sports or battling bruxism. Custom sports mouthguards provide protection and comfort for people who are active or worried about teeth grinding. So don’t wait; get yours right now!