Anyone grind their teeth at night?

I've been told by both my last dentist and current one that I do. I believe them as I've waken in the night before, clenching my jaws.

I'm curious to find out for those of you who use teeth guards if you bought the custom made one from your dentist or the OTC from the local drug store.

If you've used both what is the difference?

I know I need either one of those methods (since my last checkup, I've chipped a part of my tooth) and highly doubt that my insurance is going to offer up anything for it. I guess I'm looking for confirmation that one is much better over the other (i.e. if you chewed through the OTC version, but didn't with the one your dentist made).

thanks!

Yes, I do.

For years I suffered bad headaches that lasted 24/7. I would wake up with a headache and take medication all day long and by bedtime the headache was "dull" but still there. It was a horrid vicious circle.

I had CT scans of my brain and my kidneys to check for tumors, but they were all negative.

One day I was at my dentists for a routine cleaning and checkup and my dentist out of the blue starts to ask me really strange questions about waking up with headaches, waking up in the night not knowing what woke me up, tight jaw, clicking jaw etc. I answered yes to all of his questions and he told me that I grind my teeth and had been for awhile because my eye teeth were not rounded at the tip as they should be. Instead mine were straight across.

He did a mould of my upper teeth and had a dental appliance created for me to wear at night. It's clear and made out of some hard plastic type material. I noticed an improvement the very first night that I wore it. I didn't have a headache in the morning.

I don't think the first one was fitted well enough for me. The moulding process was strange to me and I don't think I had my jaw in it's natural position when closed. When I got the appliance it felt "weird" at the back right side, and as a result I actually bit through the first and broke it one within 6 or 12 months and had to have a second one made. The second one seemed a better fit and I don't even know it's there. It's about 5 years old now I guess.

I put it in at night when I go to bed. Take it out in the morning. To clean it I just stick it in a container with Polident just like you do with dentures and then rinse it before putting it back in at night.

I am supposed to get a mouthgaurd as well, but I haven't got around to it. I am a grinder too.

The one that the dentist would custom make would be around $300 here I think....I'm sure an OTC one would be fine though

IDK my Dentist recommends the mold over the OTC cause everyone's mouth is different. It was recommended years ago but I am too afraid to use on. My new dentist hasn't said a word yet. Most insurance companies don't cover them.

Yea I'm hoping that the insurance throws even $20 my way...however the information I'm given is so generic as to whats covered...its silly.

i've heard that comfort is a huge factor too...that the one the dentist makes for you is custom to your teeth. The one at the drug store is just generic, so it could be loose or too tight.

I'm going back for x-rays in a couple of weeks (my dentist wants to make sure the chip is nothing more than a chip), so I'll get the quote then...I hope its not $300!!! Although I'm sure it will be...

I have a custom mouth guard from the dentist. I clench my teeth at night. I found out because I actually had headaches, jaw and ear pain so bad I thought I had an ear infection and saw my regular doctor first.

The mouthguard is awesome. Definitely worth it. And when I get stressed and notice I'm getting jaw pain (even with using the mouth guard) I use ibuprofen. I should use the heating pad more often, that was also recommended for my jaw problems.

ETA: I forgot to mention, I clench my teeth. My mom and sister also have this problem and I was told my grandma used to grind her teeth.

I didn't have insurance when I got the first one. I think it was $180.00 back then. The last one was 100% covered by my Blue Cross dental insurance.

To address the fear factor of wearing one. There is nothing to be afraid of. To make a mould of your upper and lower jaw, they put some goop in a tray and stick it in your mouth for about 1 minute. Then you go back a couple weeks later and the doctor tries the mouth guard in your mouth and checks the fit by placing a piece of what looks like carbon paper between your upper and lower teeth and has you grind your lower jaw. Based on how the "ink" or whatever it is transfers to the mouth guard up top, he can tell if it is fitting well.

Then you are sent home. TBH putting in a mouth guard is no different than putting a plastic lid back on a can of peanuts.

The whole process from moulding to fitting to putting in and wearing is 100% completely painless.

I used to grind my teeth and my dentist at the time said I was slowly chipping bits off my front teeth and he was going to make me wear a mouthguard.
I had a co-worker who had one but didn't wear it because she said she drooled at night when it was in her mouth.
I bought a drug store one-waste of money IMO because of fit.
Two things helped-#1 I had read and article in Glamour (don't laugh) which suggested to relax your jaw during the day by sticking/placing your tongue between your teeth. I started doing this and believe it or not it worked and I probably did this alot without thinking.
#2 I discovered the root cause of this-my "old" job!! I haven't clenched/ground my teeth for quite some months now!!

I do too. My hubby tells me that i do it really bad too! :-(
I have to talk to my dentist about it because I do not want to damage my teeth.

I do, to the point some night DH goes and sleeps on the couch!

I've used the OTC kind and actually was quiet pleased with it. They come in 3
different sizes (sm, med and large) and as long as you keep it in boiling water long enough to make it soft it will pretty much mold to fit your mouth. I'm sure it doesn't fit as well as the ones from the dentist but for the price it worked pretty well. It took a little getting used to at first, and sometimes it would fall out if I was laying on my side, but I normally only grind my teeth when I lay on my back.

One word of advice....they should NOT go in the dryer! That's what happened to my last one. It got mixed up in the bed sheets when I washed them, and I ended up with a little rubber ball. Another reason why I haven't gotten one from the dentist. I would rather be out $30 than $200!

Last October I asked here (http://thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146454) if anyone had heard of the NTI-TSS device. I have to say, I did spend the money to get it and I have been migraine free since NOVEMBER! I was getting 3-4 severe migraines every month, and it was very debilitating. I had migraines since I was 15. None since I got the NTI.

I wasn't even diagnosed with TMJ until last October, when I saw a dentist for jaw pain. I thought my wisdom teeth were aggravating my jaw, but he said it was classic TMJ. I thank God that he a) uses the NTI himself and b) was able to see exactly what I was dealing with.

I'm not but DH grinds his a lot! I can't stand the noise! To me it's like nails on a chalk board! Whenever he's doing it for more than a few seconds I sort of grab his jaw with one hand and he stops for a bit. Sometimes longer than others.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

For years I suffered bad headaches that lasted 24/7. I would wake up with a headache and take medication all day long and by bedtime the headache was "dull" but still there. It was a horrid vicious circle.

Click to expand...

I'm so glad you said that! DH has been complaining of a lot of headaches! I couldn't figure out why, but this makes perfect sense! He had a guard made at the dentist a few years ago (because I made him) but he only wore it a few times before he gave up on it. He said it was uncomfortable, but I think that might be because he sleeps on his stomach a lot. Does that make sense? I'm going to tell him about the tongue thing Gail mentioned too.

Originally Posted by MoochNNoodles

I'm not but DH grinds his a lot! I can't stand the noise! To me it's like nails on a chalk board! Whenever he's doing it for more than a few seconds I sort of grab his jaw with one hand and he stops for a bit. Sometimes longer than others.

.

Click to expand...

My husband does that to get me to stop too. If he puts pressure on each jaw, I normally stop...execpt the one time I woke up and thought he was trying to choke me! I came up swinging! LOL!

I do really bad and will wake up with migraines.

I just bought one of the self-moulding mouth guards from Longs. you dip it in hot water and then bite down on it while it's still warm to mold to your teeth.
if you go this route though, do yourself a favor and mold it to your bottom teeth. I first did it on my top teeth and well, obviously that doesn't stay in too well. they're only about $30 as opposed to the more expensive ones you get from the dentist and you can re-mould up to 3 or 4 times if you don't get it right the first time.

My sister does! We went to London for the weekend in october to see a show and i made sure i booked single rooms. Were going again in march and i've booked the same because i must have my sleep

Ooo! Thanks everyone

I'm sorry if I made it sound like I was afraid of the dentist part...ummm...I went through 6 years of othordontia and had many retainters, braces, etc. due to it....so I imagine the process is very similar -if not the same- as moulding for a retainer.

Yea, the funny thing is that my grinding has gotten worse due to financial factors...yet in order to offset the symptoms of my stress, it costs money

I wish B could just get better, get phone calls for interviews, and get a decent paying job, I'm sure my grinding would let up...

Originally Posted by Trouts mom

I am supposed to get a mouthgaurd as well, but I haven't got around to it. I am a grinder too.

The one that the dentist would custom make would be around $300 here I think....I'm sure an OTC one would be fine though

Click to expand...

Mine was about $350 almost 3 years ago. I don't wear it anymore because my teeth have changed and I have had quite a bit of dental work done and can't afford another one.

I think I'm going to look for a guard for DH. I told him last night about what everyone in this thread said so he went and got his out. After he gave it a good washing he put it in but it was way too tight. He actually had a hard time taking it off his teeth!