Why do you recommend a night guard after making a bonded repair of chipped anterior teeth?

Many patients present with a chipped anterior tooth that needs to be repaired. I always ask "How did it get chipped?". Often the patient does not know and when I ask the patient to move their teeth edge to edge, I can guide them into a position in which shows that the chipped anterior teeth edge may have been coming into contact with the opposing anterior teeth during an excursion. Usually I suspect that this excursion occurs when they are asleep and is due to a bruxing habit.  Many people engage in short bursts of bruxing activity while they sleep and this can cause chipping and war on anterior teeth.

Invariably, after I have repaired an "unexplained" chipped anterior tooth, I will strongly suggest that my patient have a night guard made and that they wear it every night. Most patients are initially reluctant, but when I explain that their new bonding is much more likely to chip if they do not, they often agree to have one made.

 About the Author: Lawrence Spindel DDS is a dentist currently residing in Larchmont, NY , He has maintained a general and cosmetic dental practice in Manhattan for over thirty years .