How do I save my teeth from weak enamel and grinding?
I’m looking into the NTI-TSS device, which is a smaller bite guard designed to fit vacuum-wise (i.e. a tight fit over a smooth surface tends to form a small vacuum that keeps item sticking to item) to your front teeth. I don’t know how much they are, but I hear from $300 – $800 depending on dentists and lab costs. They’re made of acrylic and can be patched when needed. Apparently if one’s biting with front teeth there’s a physiological tendency to put less force on the molars, which are often victims of the tooth grinding enamel-harm. You may also wish to look into alternative treatments for bruxism, like acupuncture or chiropracty.
IF you do get a splint, get a good one! And if you can, get it died dayglo orange rather than have it left clear – you will probably lose it under the bed for the first couple of weeks, and a clear splint on carpet can be hard to find. I had a great splint for a couple of years, which I lost while travelling. I replaced it with a substandard one recently, and I usually spit it out after a couple of hours. The first thing I’m gonna do when I get back home is get a new splint. On top of the beneficial effects on my teeth, it helped neck pain and headaches I never knew the cause of, and stopped me waking up dreaming my teeth were being knocked out. Oh, how I miss my old occlusal splint!
Seriously, get a mouth guard to wear while you sleep. Get it from the dentist. If you’re wary of wearing one on the top, you can get ones fitted to your bottom teeth that supposedly make it easier to breathe/talk/etc. It WILL help immensely. I have crappy genetics and crappy enamel which equals crappy teeth. No matter what I do. Flouride will probably help, as will flossing. But you may just have to resign yourself to a life of cavities/crowns/sensitive teeth/yellow teeth.
