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Many patients often wonder what is the difference between night guards and mouthguards. Both these devices serve a similar purpose, acting as a protective barrier, but they both function in very different ways. A night guard helps to protect your teeth if you have a habit of grinding them together while you are asleep. A mouthguard or sports guard protects teeth during physical activities like football or boxing. Dentists often recommend mouthguards to athletes and active adults.
Both contact sports and grinding your teeth can put you at high risk for tooth fractures and other oral health issues, which is why we offer personalized consultations at our practice in Weehawken. We can create custom-designed and fitted mouthguards and night guards for patients.
Grinding your teeth at night when you are asleep is not always a sign you are stressed. You may be experiencing a condition called bruxism, which can lead to a number of symptoms that can have an impact on your oral health and the strength of your teeth.
Typically, patients become aware they are grinding their teeth when they wake up and have stiffness in their jaw. The symptoms often occur during sleep and can be caused by an abnormal bite or missing or crooked teeth. Bruxism can also be caused by a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea.
Many patients are not diagnosed with the condition until they come in to see a dentist when they have a checkup. Symptoms include worn tooth enamel, particularly in the back teeth area.
We have also had some patients who realize they have bruxism because their teeth grinding is loud enough to wake their partner from their sleep. Concerned about why they may be unwittingly experiencing these symptoms, they are prompted to see a dentist for an appointment.
At Skyline Dental Designs we can treat the symptoms of bruxism by creating a custom-fitted mouthguard or night guard which you can wear when you are asleep to form a barrier between your teeth.
Nighttime teeth grinding can cause severe dental damage because over time, grinding your teeth can destroy tooth enamel and trigger gum erosion. Without treatment, the damage can progress, and may lead to surgery. Night guards can help protect your teeth from permanent dental damage if you have bruxism.
Night guards can be used to treat TMJ as well as bruxism and sleep apnea, by protecting teeth and easing pressure in the jaw. These devices also guard the teeth against chips and uneven wear patterns that may often result from jaw clenching. By wearing a night guard, you can experience relief from jaw pain, headaches, stiff neck and neck soreness.
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects the jaw to the skull. Nighttime grinding or clenching often lead to TMJ disorders, including stubborn headaches and neck pain. Night guards are a simple method for preventing or treating TMJ problems.
Sleep apnea develops when patients stop breathing for brief periods during the night. During sleep, when throat and tongue muscles are more relaxed, this soft tissue can cause the airway to become blocked. Airflow may become blocked due to the placement of the jaw and tongue. A specially-designed night guard for sleep apnea can help to realign the jaw, relieving some sleep apnea symptoms which may result in the difficulty to breathe.
When you clench and grind your teeth, it may put you at a higher risk of developing cavities, tooth sensitivity, or gum erosion. When you are exhibiting the symptoms of bruxism you can also develop chipped teeth or muscle tension.
Many of our patients who grind their teeth say they have headaches, neck pain, and restless sleep. However, using one of our custom-made night guards may help to alleviate their symptoms so they can sleep more soundly.
The American Dental Association estimates that sports mouthguards can prevent over 200,000 injuries. Mouthguards can help to protect you or your child from sports injuries and chipped or cracked teeth.
“Boil and bite” mouthguards can often be found in stores, but they often cause harm instead of provide protection. They do not offer a custom fit like professional mouth guards. Typically, they can fall out or make it more difficult to speak while wearing them. They can cause jaw pain and may not be as comfortable as custom professional mouthguards. By contrast, our custom, professional sports guards are properly fitted and equilibrated for your protection.
Professional mouthguards can help prevent the need for restorative dental care later in life. At Skyline Dental Designs in Weehawken, we can tailor your mouthguard to fit your teeth perfectly, lessening the possibility of the need for dental work due to chips and injury.
Night guards and mouthguards can be a valuable tool when it comes to protecting your teeth from the harsh effects of grinding or clenching. Sports guards offer great protection when playing contact sports to keep you from damaging your teeth.
Caring for your night guard or sports guard is important so you can continue to protect your teeth for as long as possible. In addition to your typical daily oral health routine of regular brushing and flossing, you need to incorporate cleaning your night guard regularly. You should also keep your sports guard clean between uses.
Each time you wear either your night guard or your sports guard, rinse it with warm water as soon as you remove it from your mouth.
Any debris or plaque that may have been stuck will come loose. Then use your toothbrush to brush your guard; there is no need to use toothpaste as it can be abrasive and may scratch your night guard or sports guard, causing unnecessary wear and tear.
You can use dish soap as it acts like a cleanser for your guard. Once you have finished your cleaning, lay it to dry completely. By letting the surfaces air dry for up to 30 minutes, you can prevent bacterial growth.
Do not store your night guard or mouthguard out in the open — in the bathroom, for example, as the humidity can damage the surface and cause it to warp. Keeping your guard in a case is the best method to ensure it stays protected and dry. We will provide a vented, durable case with your mouthguard. Be careful not to store your night guard anywhere subject to extreme hot or cold temperatures as this can also damage the surface.
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Loved my experience here! The staff is friendly and welcoming, and the office is clean and beautiful. Dr. Kaplan was great - he was friendly, didn't rush anything, answered all of my questions, and did my teeth cleaning himself. Very happy to have Skyline Dental for my future dentist visits.
Thank you Dr Kaplan and the staff at Skyline Dental! I had a great experience during my check-up and cleaning. Dr. Kaplan made me feel comfortable and explained dental treatments thoroughly! Skyline Dental truly makes your dentist appointments smooth sailing, (painless too) looking forward to my next visit in six months.
Have had a great experience with Skyline Dental. Dr. Kaplan takes time to explain what’s going on and answer any questions while the reception crew is extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Never have trouble getting through to them or receiving the information I need! Definitely recommend.
I’ve had a great experience working with Dr. Kaplan and his team. Everyone has been extremely professional and great during Covid. The work Dr. Kaplan does is excellent as well. I would definitely recommend working with the team at Skyline Dental Designs
Beautiful office, fantastic staff! Dr. Kaplan is very thoughtful and patient. Pays close attention and puts your best interests first. I never felt uncomfortable even though I had to fill so many cavities on my first appointment here. The BEST dentist!!
I’m fairly new to the area and was looking for a new dentist office. I'm so glad I chose to check out Skyline! The staff is very welcoming and kind. The dentist took his time to answer all of my questions and was extremely helpful. I would highly recommend checking them out if you’re looking!
I have been seeing Dr. Kaplan for a couple of months to correct some cavities and look into orthodontics options. I'm very pleased with this practice overall as well as with the doctor. The staff is kind and responsive, the doctor is very attentive and gives you time if you have questions. Very recommended!
Seamless process from start to finish. Dr. Kaplan is the most thorough dentist I've been to. He took the time to get to know me and my oral health/goals. Explained my options and treatment plan. His actual treatment (for fillings) was completely painless!
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* Our office is conveniently located on Avenue at Port Imperial, directly next to the NY Waterway Weehawken Ferry Terminal. We offer free garage parking for all of our patients! We also have free curbside parking for those that may wish to park streetside.
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