Teeth grinding, or bruxism, is an incredibly common oral health condition. Most people who grind their teeth do it in their sleep, which means that many people aren’t even aware of how much pressure they’re putting on their teeth.
If you’re considering Invisalign aligners as an orthodontic option, you might wonder if bruxism could stand in the way of getting this treatment. Here’s a guide that may be able to answer that question for you.
Can People with Bruxism Use Invisalign?
Bruxism shouldn’t get in the way of you getting Invisalign treatment. If anything, your Invisalign aligner may take a little bit of the pressure off of your teeth while you sleep.
However, if you’re currently using a night guard or a splint to address a bruxism problem, you aren’t going to be able to do that while also wearing your Invisalign. That may not necessarily prevent you from getting orthodontic treatment, but you should talk to your dentist about the issue.
Can Bruxism Damage My Aligner?
You’ll have to wear Invisalign aligners for 20-22 hours a day to see results, which means you’re going to be wearing them to bed. If you frequently grind your teeth overnight, that can potentially put a lot of pressure on your trays.
While it’s unlikely that bruxism will completely destroy your aligner, there is a very real possibility that it could cause it to wear out faster. However, that isn’t necessarily that much of a problem—you’ll only be wearing any given tray for around two weeks.
That said, if you do crack or break an aligner, your dentist can always order you a replacement. This may move you a little bit off track, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying Invisalign treatment.
How Do I Deal with Bruxism?
That said, if you wanted to address a bruxism problem before beginning Invisalign treatment, that wouldn’t be a bad idea. An orthodontist can fit you for a night guard or splint, but that could prevent you from getting Invisalign in the near future.
Instead, you can try addressing some of the underlying risk factors that cause bruxism. Stress is the biggest one, but there’s some evidence to suggest that smoking and caffeine use can also make bruxism more likely.
If you can get grinding your teeth under control, that should allow you to protect your aligners, making your orthodontic treatment that much more effective.
About Our Practice
At Goodman Dental Care, we want our patients to feel confident that they’ll be treated with care and respect whenever they visit our office. Father-and-son dentists Drs. Gary and Jeremy Goodman are both deeply committed to giving patients comprehensive, high-quality care. Both of them bring a level of compassion to their work that allows them to help people get the smile of their dreams.
If you have any questions about bruxism and Invisalign, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (410) 263-1919.