From the Blog
How important is a nightguard?
We’ve seen quite a few patients recently with cracked teeth, so we’d like to share some important information about how a nightguard prevents tooth loss — using a real case from our Winnipeg office.
A patient’s story
A patient came in with a dental emergency: a broken crown and post on one of his front teeth, placed about two years earlier at his previous dentist’s office. We noticed clear signs of heavy clenching and grinding on his teeth and explained the damage it was causing — including that his grinding was one of the likely causes of the premature failure of the post and crown. We advised a nightguard; he wasn’t totally convinced he needed one.
A few weeks later, at his check-up and cleaning, he mentioned sensitivity in an upper-right tooth when biting. The crack test showed no significant findings, but given his grinding habit we again advised a nightguard. He decided to consider it at his six-month visit — and came back one week later with a split tooth that had to be extracted and replaced with a dental implant.
An ounce of prevention
This could have been avoided with a nightguard. Clenching and grinding can cause cracks, fractured fillings and crowns, root fractures, sensitivity, toothaches, headaches, and joint pain. Sometimes, as in this case, the damage is irreparable and leads to expensive dental work. Spending a small amount on a nightguard can prevent very costly treatment down the road.
To book a complimentary consultation: book your appointment online or call us at 204-415-5567. We’ll look forward to meeting with you!