Night guards are important to prevent against tooth damage as a result of grinding the teeth. Patients may grind the teeth at night and may wake up with sore facial muscles or TMJs. Patients may also clench or grind during the day. Their dental professional may notice wear patterns on the teeth.
If you are undergoing Invisalign or clear aligner treatment, you will only be wearing each aligner for about 1-2 weeks, so typically patients do not grind through their aligners in that short time frame. At the conclusion of treatment, the Invisalign retainer is made of a thicker plastic material that is resistant to patients grinding through it. (However, this plastic is thinner than that of a typical night guard.)
Another option is to wear a custom-made night guard on the top arch, that is well-adapted to the teeth, and continue wearing your Invisalign clear retainer on the bottom teeth. Your dental professional will let you know if this is an option for your case.
In severe cases of grinding, Invisalign or clear aligner treatment may be contraindicated.
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