My dentist actually brought up the night guard right after my first crown, mostly because I’d mentioned jaw soreness before. At first, I thought it was overkill, but I’m glad I listened—turns out I’m a serious grinder, especially when stressed. It’s tough to know if you’re being too cautious or just prepared... but honestly, I’d rather be safe than need a replacement crown way too soon. Anyone else surprised by how much they grind at night? Sometimes I wonder if it’s just me.
- Night guards are underrated—most folks don’t even realize they’re grinding until a dentist points it out.
- I see tons of crowns fail early just because of clenching or grinding, especially under stress.
- If your jaw’s sore in the morning, odds are you’re grinding. It’s way more common than people think.
- Nothing wrong with being cautious. Replacing a crown is way pricier (and less fun) than wearing a night guard.
- Not just you. Stress turns a lot of us into midnight jaw athletes...
I had a root canal and crown done about two years ago and honestly, I’m constantly worried I’ll mess it up by grinding at night. My dentist suggested a night guard, but I keep forgetting to actually use it. I wake up with my jaw feeling tight sometimes, so now I’m wondering if that’s a sign things could go wrong down the line. Does anyone else feel paranoid about ruining their crown, or am I just overthinking this?
I totally get where you’re coming from. I had a root canal and crown about three years ago and I’m still a little on edge about it. I grind my teeth too (dentist called it bruxism, which sounds way too intense), and sometimes I’ll wake up with my jaw feeling stiff or sore. I have a night guard sitting in my bathroom drawer but half the time I forget to wear it, then I freak out thinking I’m gonna crack my crown or something. It’s probably a bit of paranoia, but honestly, that “what if” feeling never really goes away for me either.
I have a night guard sitting in my bathroom drawer but half the time I forget to wear it, then I freak out thinking I’m gonna crack my crown or something.
Story of my life. My night guard’s basically a very expensive dust collector at this point. I’ve had my crown for four years and, despite my best attempts at dental sabotage, it’s still hanging in there. Guess they’re tougher than we give ’em credit for.
