Integrative TMJ Treatments in the Chicago Loop

What about nightguards?

Many dentists are too quick to recommend a nightguard. When a traditional dentist sees wear on someone’s teeth, they quickly diagnose that it’s from nighttime grinding and jump to a conclusion the patient needs a night guard. 

At Choices in Dentistry, as an integrative practice, we evaluate the wear we see to answer these questions.

• Is it functional and normal wear?
• Are some teeth more worn than others? 
• Is the wear happening at night or is another cause at play?

Only when a patient agrees that it’s a nighttime habit that requires a nightguard, do we discuss their options. 

An over-the-counter DIY night guard can be a good place to start. They’re inexpensive but tend to be bulky. We can show you how to trim one down so that it’s more comfortable. Then there’s an intermediate option, our “in-house” mouthguards that are more durable and comfortable than store-bought options. If those don’t work, we’ll recommend a rigid custom lab-made nightguard. This option is the most expensive but can last for years.

We try to avoid overreacting and jumping to expensive and invasive treatment options. By working to understand what’s causing your joint pain, we can recommend a treatment option that we’re confident will be successful.