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A member asked:
Will a clear essix retainer on my top teeth fully protect my teeth from clenching my teeth at night?
2 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
No: No, The retainer will not keep you from clenching your teeth. It will keep your teeth apart but not protect them. If you are having issues with grinding and wear, especially at night, you would need a night guard or similar appliance to protect your teeth. If the retainer is not designed to stop you from grinding or clenching then you can develop other problems from using it for that.
Answered 9/16/2014
3.7k views
Better than nothing: any piece of plastic between the teeth will help with grinding tooth to tooth. However, to get the decrease in intensity and duration of the grind/clench there needs to be contact on the front teeth more than the back teeth. the front teeth have the shut off switch for the grinding, if they are disconnected because only the back teeth touch then the appliance will not be as effective
Answered 9/19/2014
3.7k views
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