Grind Teeth and Need a Retainer?

[SportingSmiles]

Do you grind your teeth at night (bruxism), but also need a retainer to keep your teeth straight? This is a question that we are commonly asked.  There is a few solutions to this problem, and you need to pick which one would work best for you.

1. Hard Night Guard and a Retainer: The primary function of a night guard is to protect the teeth from grinding\clenching. With a hard night guard its secondary function is to prevent the teeth from shifting. A night guard will not work as well as retainers do to prevent the teeth from shifting. We recommend getting both a hard night guard and retainers. You can wear the night guard most nights, but want to wear the retainers a couple nights a week to confirm the teeth are not shifting, or the retainers can be worn during the day.
2. Essix Plus Retainers: The new essix plus material is much more wear resistant than the standard essix material. Essix plus retainers will be able to take moderate teeth grinding but not heavy teeth grinding. If your a heavy teeth grinder you will either have to get the night guard retainer option or replace your essix plus retainers more often.

Teeth Grinding Retainer

Depending on your level of grinding helps decide the correct option for you. If you have questions please contact us at [e-mail] or at 262-290-2396

[Steffany Mohan, DDS]

I liked your  helpful information that you have shared for protecting grinding teeth. Ideas are really appreciable. I would like to add some points on this topic. Permanent Retainers are the best choice for patients who want to "get it and forget it". Due to the fact that the teeth begin to shift naturally as we age; a permanent retainer generally offers better long-term results for teeth straightening. Obviously flossing with a permanent retainer is a challenge, however your orthodontist can show you effective ways to floss and keep a healthy mouth with your permanent retainers. The benefit of a permanent retainer is it is fixed in the mouth so you don't have to take it in and out. However, they do make it difficult to floss your teeth and can lead to gingivitis and periodontal disease if you don't find a way to properly floss those teeth. Hope this helps!!