Do I Really Need A Night Guard?

Most people will grind their teeth or clench their jaw to the point of dental destruction. Bruxism, is the dental term used to describe the forceful action of clenching or grinding your teeth. Often times this happened at night during sleep. The consequences include sensitivity to hot/cold beverages, pain, headaches, gum recession, and cosmetic issues like the flattening or chipping of teeth. To address these issues root canals, crowns, bridges, and veneers are common fixes to the cosmetic problems and in severe cases, continuing to grind and clench could lead to loss of teeth. 

Healthy Teeth Vs. Teeth After Grinding

What a night guard does, is protect your teeth from wearing down or chipping. This help to prevent the damage to healthy teeth, gum tissues, and protect existing dental work.

 

You may be able to physically see the flattening of your teeth due to forceful and often unconscious grinding as seen below. Dr. Nick can also examine your smile and recommend a night guard to stop the damage to your teeth, if needed.

Common Questions

Below are common questions that we get from patients when a night guard is recommended.

How much do night guards cost?

Since nice guards are preventative, often times insurance companies will be hesitant to cover the cost. If your dental insurance does offer night guard coverage, then a portion will be covered and you will still have a patient portion to pay. Medicaid does not offer night guard coverage. If you do not have dental insurance or are paying out of pocket, our office will work with you to ensure you are able to get the dental care you need at an affordable price. 

Can I use to over the counter night guards instead?

Over the counter night guards can actually have the opposite effect. Since it is not a custom fit and does not allow your jaw to sit in the correct position, you may find that you are actually clenching and grinding more. While over the counter night guards seem as though they are more affordable, you will actually end up spending more since you will be going through them a lot faster.

Staff Highlight

Meet Mariana:

Mariana (or Stephy as Dr. Nick calls her) is our lead dental assistant and has been with our practice for almost a year. Mariana has always been interested in dentistry, ever since a young age. When she graduated high school, her brother mentioned that she should look into dental assisting. Mariana though that was a great idea, and she went on to get certified in dental assisting.

Mariana’s favorite part of working at Chicago All Care Dental is seeing how happy patients get when their new smile is revealed. “That definitely is the most rewarding part of working in dentistry,” she goes on to say.

One thing Mariana wishes patients knew is that following proper oral hygiene is very important and can prevent patients from needing major restorative procedures.

Fun Facts:

• Mariana’s pets are her life. She currently has a dog named Bella and a cat named Saturn.

• When Mariana is not working at the office, you can catch her binge watching the latest series on Netflix.

• Mariana’s favorite food is Mole.

Staff Highlight

Meet Mary

Anyone who has been to our practice has met Mary, our Lead Office Coordinator. Since joining Chicago All Care Dental Mary has learned the ins and outs of every single one of our procedures and assisted Maria Eva in administrative tasks. 

Prior to joining our team, Mary was a full-time mom who was highly active with the Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) at her kid’s school. She loved brainstorming meetings on how to improve the school and get parents involved with their children’s education, and even served as secretary. As a member of the PAC she also organized parent dinners and supervised school field trips.  

Mary “enjoys the atmosphere and likes her coworkers,” but her favorite thing about working for Chicago All Care Dental is her patients. She doesn’t like having days off because then she misses seeing her patients smiling faces. 

Fun Facts about Mary:

-Mary lived in Puerto Rico for 4 years

-She loves cheesecake, all cheesecake

-Her favorite food: easily her husband’s carne asada + avocado tacos

January New Patient Special

New Year, New Smile

New patients who schedule their first appointment with our practice in January 2019 will receive complimentary BURST coconut whitening strips! Head to our New Patients tab to schedule an appointment or call us at (773) 733-3343 today. Cheers to a new year and a new smile! We look forward to seeing you!

Staff Highlight

Meet Alex

Alex’s passion for oral hygiene stems from an early age. She always had really enjoyable experiences at her family dentist’s office, so when her parents bought her a play doh kit that came with dental tools, she was captivated. Fast forward to college where the obvious choice for her was to receive a Bachelors in Dental Hygiene. 

Her favorite part of working at Chicago All Care Dental is establishing relationships with patients and seeing their smiling faces at subsequent appointments. As for her favorite procedure? Naturally , it is her specialty, it’s the deep clean, where you can see the biggest difference in the look and feeling of the patient's teeth and a more dramatic effect. Alex’s lightbulb moment came when she started to see things finally ‘click’ for her patients who are following their dental hygiene plans. She wants everyone to know that “the leading cause of tooth loss is gum disease, not decay or cavities, so flossing daily is extremely important!"

Fun Facts about Alex:

-She has been to both Hawaii and Alaska

-Her favorite food is pizza (unlike Maria Eva she is team pineapple

-Alex is a self-proclaimed crazy cat lady and 5 star scrapbooker

-She is also obsessed with Britney Spears and has seen her in Vegas

*Photos were taken during her volunteer trip to Puebla, Mexico where she provided dental hygiene care to children.

Holiday Specials

Now through December 22, 2018 Chicago All Care Dental Group Inc. is having a holiday special you can’t resist! Whether you are shopping for yourself or thinking of the oral hygiene of your loved ones, we have got you covered. Call us at (312) 733-3343 to check availability or make a purchase. Limited time only and while supplies last. Happy shopping!

Staff Highlight

Meet Maria Eva

Mara Eva is our fabulous office manager who keeps the practice running smoothly. Maria got her Associates Degree in Science from Malcom X City Colleges and has been with us since April of 2013. She handles everything from scheduling appointments to handling finances and behind the scenes paperwork. Her favorite part of working at Chicago All Care Dental is interacting with patients and helping them reach their dental goals while staying within their financial means. She is extremely knowledgable about the ins and outs of procedures we perform and can help both new and existing patients financially plan. Maria Eva’s biggest piece of advice, “make sure you brush and floss every day because it is essential for a healthy smile.” She is also from the Pilsen area so at your next appointment feel free to ask her for any recommendations on local spots or restaurants.

Fun facts about Maria Eva:

-She is Cuban and Guatemalan

-Her favorite food is pizza (hold the pineapple)