Grinding with aligners

#1

Can I get aligners if I grind my teeth?

Every time I go to my dentist, the first thing she notices is my grinding habit. She would know immediately because when you constantly grind your teeth, your teeth will be shaved down and become shorter in the long run. She gave me a mouthpiece that I could wear at night to prevent the severe pressure exerted on my teeth when I grind. Apparently, I grind when I am stressed and I only do it at night. I want to have aligners because of my not so aligned front teeth, both in the upper and lower, but I am worried that my aligners can get damaged easily.

#2

If your dentist recommends you to wear a night guard or splint, you might not be eligible for aligners or Invisalign.

#3

Grinding can easily wear out your aligners. Though this isn’t a big deal because you typically wear a set of aligners for two weeks only and you need to change to your next one.

#4

I also grind at night. I feel my teeth are extra sore when I wake up. I didn’t know I do this at night, my sister just told me one night before because I slept beside her.

#5

Clear aligners may help with mild by acting as a protective barrier for your teeth. Aligners may wear down quicker as a result of grinding, but you will only wear each set of aligners for 1–2 weeks during treatment.

#6

Patients with bruxism (teeth grinding) can be difficult to treat with clear aligners. It can cause the buccal and lingual surfaces of the aligners to flare away from the tooth, reducing the aligner’s ability to effectively move the teeth.

#7

If you have severe grinding wherein you wake up and feel like your jaw is tired, it can be hard for you to have aligners.

#8

This can only be in cases of severe bruxism. Others who grind but not that much can still be treated nicely with aligners. The clinician or dentist should be able to assess if a patient has severe grinding, because if they do braces will be a better option for them.

#9

Is it better to have aligners or braces? I still haven’t decided yet. I am planning to have my teeth fixed next month.

#10

When you get braces, one effect could be the usual removal of your brackets because of your grinding.

#11

To answer that question, ask a professional because they are the only ones who can give the best option for you.

#12

I thought about that, too. If your tooth grinding is severe and decided to have braces or aligners, it’s possible that the problem will get worse before it gets better. However, this is likely to improve in the long term and can even be cured by your braces or aligners.

#13

Others find that aligners help prevent teeth grinding, but some also continue to grind their teeth during their treatment. If you still continue to grind, it can cause premature wear on your aligners.

#14

Hi guys! just an update. I chose aligners over braces. At first, I cause premature wear on my aligners. But it already improved. My dentist told me that having braces could also cause removal of brackets every now and then. I also chose aligners because it is more hygienic for me.

#15

Great to hear about that! I know the plastic from aligners can protect your teeth from grinding. If in case you chose braces, your teeth don’t have protection form the force of grinding.

#16

Quick question, do your aligners get broken or something? Have you noticed any holes or cracks on it?