teeth clenchers, how do you get on without niteguard

[GRILLZ]

well, two more days and i'll be braced....getting pretty nervous. last night i think i was clenching my teeth nonstop.....and i got to thinking....what is it going to be like for me without my nightguard....how am i going to not totally screw up my teeth....i asked the treatment coordinator about wearing my nite guard during braces and she said i won't be wearing it......or it won't; be necessary or something like that. she said once braces are done i'll wear a retainer and that will function as a niteguard. eventually down the road she said i might get a full mouth nite guard,not the little beek i have now, they think the mini night guard may have contributed to my open bite. lovely. i paid 300 bucks for the thing....

[~KMG~]

Hey Grillz! Fellow clencher here......I too had to part with my night guard last week and was quite worried about it. At this point in time, I am no longer clenching at night, so I don't know if I am relaxing better at night, or subconsciously thinking about the other mass of crap in my mouth, so I am refraining. Who knows!!! I suppose it could be short lived, as I get more comfortable with the braces. My ortho does have a physical therapist that is apparently a miracle worker with TMJ, so she told me to let her know if it starts acting up again, as she will get me a referral.

[sadpanda]

Hi -

I am a clencher and when I got braces, the problem became even worse. I asked about it on this forum and drrick said that clenching was involuntary and that you can't make it go away in any way. The first few months of braces I was clenching during the day and night, although I thought I only had the problem at night. However, I've noticed that the problem has gotten a little better in the last two months. I don't clench as much as I used to or as hard as I used to. I'm not sure why this happened, but I guess maybe my teeth moved in such a way that makes clenching not as automatic a reaction.

[jxds]

I was worried about that as well when I first got my braces - how was I going to sleep without the mouthguard? However, once I got the braces, I stopped clenching. At the beginning it was just too painful so I couldn't even think of clenching my teeth. Then, my bite kept changing all the time... now I wear essix retainers that act somehow as mouthguards, but I've already cracked them...

[jambo532]

I was a clencher too but since getting my braces I have stopped. My ortho said that since my teeth are properly aligning now it wont happen.
www.allbraced.blogspot.com

[GRILLZ]

i think i must still be clenching somewhat, i wake up and my teeth are sooo sore....feels like i have been clenching. it's funny.....every morning when i wake up, my hand goes up to my mouth and i'm thinking, time to take out the nite guard....but then i realize, it's not the nite guard, but the braces....and they'll be there for the duration.....

[braceface2b]

I was definitely a clencher/grinder with some TMJ issues. I have my uppers on now, getting the lowers next week. Got bite turbos on the backs of my front incisors when I got my braces which prevent any of my back teeth from touching at all. It's hard to tell if grind on the turbos or not, but I'm guessing not for some reason. I've had zero TMJ issues or jaw soreness since getting the turbos, after the initial soreness from keeping my mouth open wide so long for the bonding went away. I'll be curious to see if I get sore again when I go through all that again getting the lowers put on.

[barbschm]

Hi

I am curious about this as I have had my braces on for over a year and I definitely still clench and grind at night. What are turbos? Maybe I could ask my ortho about them...

Thanks

[braceface2b]

Google "bite turbos" and some images will come up.

[opera^gal]

I wore a nightguard throughout my braces sentence with my ortho's ok. <splintek product, if anyone is looking for one>. Actually gave me some bracket-rubbing-cheek relief as a bonus.

[Moty]

I'm a clencher too, and think that may have had something to do with my teeth shifting in the first place. I'm getting close to the de-bracing stage, and my regular dentist told me to ask for a night guard in the retainer I get. I told my ortho, and they said the retainer itself will act as a night guard. We'll see. I've clenched thoughout the braces experience.

[bracedfaced]

I had grinding/clenching issue before braces and still do now and I have been in braces for almost a year.

I do wear a mouth guard however. I tested so many of them until I finally found one that works with my braces.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000X2BSAG

I wear it on my lower teeth and I cut off the little curved band because it dug into my gums. I've gotten used to wearing it, it doesn't fall out. But I still clench on it very badly and wake with sore jaws. At least I am not damaging my teeth anymore though. And it is super sturdy so its lasted me a long time. I bit right through other brands.

Good luck!