Occlusal guard fabrication

Denver dentists Dr. Sarah Parsons and Dr. H. Candace DeLapp have been using occlusal guards to help with the muscle tenderness found  with patient who clench and grind their teeth.  The first element in treatment of this pain first involves the appropriate diagnosis.  There are many different diseases and syndromes that can cause jaw pain and some have significant consequences.  Pain in the head can be something as simple as muscle pain and something as serious as tumors or circulatory problems in the head.

Muscle pain and jaw joint pain

Essentially everyone clenches and grinds their teeth.  The question is how often… how hard… and how long.  For some patients the clench their teeth every couple of months for a little while and do not clench very hard.  For other they clench all the time… every day… and really hard.  In the first scenario no treatment may be indicated and in the secon some type of intervention “may” be needed.

Occlusal guard or Night guard

An occlusal guard or night guard may be the first type of treatment that may be prescribed.  Each case is so different.  For many patients this can mitigate some of the symptoms of clenching and grinding. An occlusal guard may need to be worn only at night for some and for other patients it may need to be work 24/7.

Call our Denver and Highlands Ranch dentists today

Please feel free to call our office at (303) 694-9740 for an appointment today.  For those who prefer to send us an e-mail please click the following link Denver dentists