Night guards become necessary when someone is continuously grinding their teeth. Grinding, or bruxing, is caused when the upper and lower teeth do not fit together properly and slide past each other when chewing. Sometimes this can cause you to subconsciously grind your teeth to eliminate those areas that are not meshing well, especially while you are sleeping. This action can, in turn, cause toothaches, muscle or joint pain. At Charlotte Emergency we often make a splint that fits over the biting surface of your upper and lower teeth, preventing grinding and protecting your teeth to eliminate many of these painful symptoms.