Teeth Grinding, Invisalign, Night Guards
13th Dec 2020
Your orthodontist might have recommended Invisalign as a popular and discrete alternative to braces. Clear aligners allow you to straighten your teeth without the obvious and often painful metal braces. Unfortunately, most orthodontic devices and night guards are incompatible as they cannot be worn simultaneously. However, there are ways to treat your bruxism while you embark on your teeth straightening journey. But is there any dental mouth guard to work as an invisalign night guard?
CAN YOU WEAR ALIGNERS AND A NIGHT GUARD AT THE SAME TIME?
Aligners and night guards cannot be worn simultaneously. It is recommended that invisalign be worn 20-22 hours per day and cover the top and/or bottom teeth, so night guards are not a viable treatment option for bruxism during your teeth straightening journey. Because the landscape of the mouth is constantly changing while using Invisalign, grinders cannot wear a custom-fitted night guard at the same time. While you cannot wear Invisalign and a night guard at the same time, the aligners do provide some level of protection when you grind or clench your teeth.
Thankfully the plastic barrier of the aligners/retainers help with bruxism and the prevention of tooth to tooth contact while grinding. While not a complete treatment, it is a prevention method more than a bruxism relief strategy.
CAN INVISALIGN BE USED AS A NIGHT GUARD?
Aligners such as Invisalign are orthodontic treatments used to straighten the teeth into proper alignment. If you suffer from awake or sleep bruxism, you may wonder how you can straighten your teeth with an aligner while protecting them from damage. Invisalign sits between the upper teeth and lower teeth, similar to a mouth guard, so it does provide a layer of protection from grinding. However, aligners are crafted to straighten the teeth, rather than protect from grinding, so they will likely wear down much faster than a custom-fit night guard for teeth grinding.
Fortunately, Invisalign aligners are only worn for a few weeks before they are switched out for a new one. Each aligner shifts the teeth slightly until they are corrected into ideal alignment. For this reason, bruxers may not have to worry about causing too much damage to their aligners. Of course, those with more severe bruxism will wear down their aligners more than others.
Related Articles:
- Can I Use My Whitening Trays As A Night Guard?
- Does Teeth Grinding Cause Gum Recession?
- Sleep Apnea Mouth Guard
- Most Popular
- Hard Outside, Soft Inside
- 2MM Thick
- Moderate / Heavy
- Most Durable
- Hard Materials
- 1.5MM Thick
- Heavy / Severe
- For Day Time Use
- Thin, Barely Visible
- 1MM Thick
- Light / Moderate
- For Clenching
- Flexible & Soft
- 1.5MM Thick
- Light / Moderate
CAN NIGHT GUARDS BE USED AS ALIGNERS?
No, night guards should not be used as aligners and there is no invisalign night guard. They are not crafted to move your teeth. Rather, they are used to protect you from the painful side effects and symptoms of teeth grinding and clenching. Bruxism damage includes the following:
- Sore jaw muscles
- Jaw joint dysfunction (TMJ)
- Broken teeth and tooth pain
- Headaches and neck aches
- Gum recession
While dental guards can be custom fitted to the individual, they are not typically used to shift teeth. Some grinding and clenching devices, such as a repositioning splint for TMJ may be used to shift the upper or lower jaw in specific TMJ cases. In general, night guards should not be used to straighten teeth.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR TEETH FROM GRINDING WHILE USING ALIGNERS
Teeth grinding may be caused by stress, certain medications, sleep apnea, and more. Addressing the root cause will help in treating the habit. Although you cannot wear custom night guards and invisalign at the same time, there are many ways in which you can treat your bruxism during your teeth straightening journey:
- Botox: Botulinum toxin can be injected into the jaw muscles. This will force the overactive muscles to relax, which will reduce jaw pain. The effects of botox are temporary, so you will have to return for more injections when the jaw muscles begin to move again.
- Vitamins and Supplements: Vitamin deficiencies such as magnesium and calcium can cause people to grind. Supplement your diet with these if you believe vitamin deficiency may be causing you to grind.
- Relaxation Techniques: Stress is often the trigger for teeth grinding and clenching. Relaxation techniques can address this root cause and eliminate the behavior. Bruxers have found success in using yoga and meditation to eliminate stress and bruxism.
- Medications: In some cases, a doctor or dentist may prescribe muscle relaxants for jaw clenching. Additionally, anti-inflammatory medications such as Ibuprofen can be used for pain management.
After your teeth are shifted into ideal alignment, you may be prescribed a retainer to wear indefinitely. The above treatment options may help alleviate grinding and clenching while wearing a retainer as well. It is important to address grinding concerns so that you don’t break these devices from the immense pressure.
Related Articles:
HOW INVISALIGN CAN IMPROVE BRUXISM
Interestingly, Invisalign may straighten your teeth and correct bruxism and TMJ at the same time. A misaligned bite can exacerbate or cause TMJ and the accompanying side effects. For this reason, “if your misaligned bite is causing your TMJ disorder, fixing your bite is your best bet to alleviate your discomfort”. Fortunately, aligners can improve bite alignment, which may, in turn, eliminate your temporomandibular joint pain. Proper alignment relieves the pressure on your jaw, which reduces or eliminates bruxism and TMJ symptoms such as inflammation and jaw muscle soreness.
INVISALIGN AND NIGHT GUARDS
While Invisalign and night guards cannot be worn simultaneously, Invisalign may be able to treat bruxism and/or provide some protection throughout your teeth straightening journey. If bite alignment is not the root cause of your TMJ or bruxism, there are other treatments available. People have found success using botox, relaxation techniques, supplements, and more. When you’re done with your aligners, you might consider a night guard to protect your smile and oral health.
Pro Teeth Guard offers custom fitted night guards crafted in a professional dental lab. They are fabricated using the same materials and processes as the dentist. These are much higher quality than boil and bite or over-the-counter mouthguards from the drugstore. We promise a perfect fit or your money back with our 110% money-back guarantee.
Sources:
- Most Popular
- Hard Outside, Soft Inside
- 2MM Thick
- Moderate / Heavy
- Most Durable
- Hard Materials
- 1.5MM Thick
- Heavy / Severe
- For Day Time Use
- Thin, Barely Visible
- 1MM Thick
- Light / Moderate
- For Clenching
- Flexible & Soft
- 1.5MM Thick
- Light / Moderate
