Sports Mouthguards
The American Dental Association recommends mouthguards for more than twenty-five different activities. Playing recreational or competitive activities without a mouthguard means you are twice as likely to encounter harm to your teeth or oral tissues. Whereas “boil and bite” mouthguards are commonly provided at your local sporting goods store, anyone who applies these “DIY” mouthguards will tell you that the fit is loose and far from secure. That is why dental studies show that the protection provided by a custom-made mouthguard is superior to any type of “one size fits all” mouthpiece.
Mouthguards made by the office of Rock Creek Dental start with an impression of your teeth. That impression is then applied to make a mouthguard from durable resin. This mouthguard fits perfectly, so it’s not loose and you can talk normally. With appropriate care, your mouthguard may last for multiple seasons of activities.
Bruxism Mouthguards
Bruxism is the formal word for teeth grinding. For most patients, this problem takes place at nighttime. For some, stress or a temporomandibular disorder may lead to teeth grinding during the day. Whether you cope with teeth grinding at night or during the day, the necessity of protecting your teeth from the harmful forces caused by clenching your jaw and “gritting your teeth” is obvious!
A custom-made mouthguard is the most effective treatment for preventing damage from teeth grinding. Also called “night guards,” since they are usually attached while asleep, or “occlusal splints” and “occlusal guards,” these devices fit perfectly onto the teeth. Your speech should not be considerably affected while wearing it, especially since the nightguard is custom-made. For some customers, simply wearing the nightguard regularly is sufficient to prevent teeth grinding episodes. Many patients report an end to regular morning jaw pain due to wearing a custom-made nightguard when they sleep.