dental night guard

Dental Night Guard: Protect Your Teeth

Contrary to popular belief, mouth guards are not just for athletes playing contact sports. Yes, players of basketball, soccer, baseball, rugby, or football have this dental protection as part of their uniforms. Even one-on-one fights for wrestling, boxing, or martial arts require players to have custom mouth guards. However, dentists like Dr. David from SDG Baulkham Hills recommend the use of this preventive dental night guard especially for people with bite problems, teeth grinding tendencies, or temporomandibular joint pain or discomfort.

 

Mouth guards: Different Teeth Protection

We can categorize mouthguards into three:

Stock or Standard Mouth Guardmouth guards

This type, as the name implies, has a standard one-size-fits-all design. You can get this from sports outlet stores. The problem with this type comes from the fact that it makes your breathing and speech difficult since it usually does not fit your bite and teeth properly.

Boil and Bite Mouth Guard

Because of the many complaints standard mouthguards get, manufacturers made adjustments to their products. True to its name, this teeth protector needs hot water to become soft, then the user bites onto it to leave his mouth’s indentation, shaping it to fit your mouth better than the standard ones.

Custom-fit Mouth Guard

After you visit a dentist, individually designed and constructed mouth protectors are manufactured in a dental office or a professional laboratory according to your dentist’s recommendations. A mouth guard is formed over the model using a unique material after your dentist takes an impression of your teeth. This custom-made mouth guard is more expensive than the other types due to the specific material used and the additional time and work required, but it gives the most comfort and protection.

 

 

Mouth Night Guards: What are they For?

Mouth guards usually only cover your upper teeth, but your dentist may build one for your lower teeth as well (for example, if you have braces or another fixed dental appliance on your lower jaw). Your dentist will be able to recommend the best night guard for you. A good mouth guard should be comfortable, tear-resistant, sturdy, and easy to clean, and should not interfere with your breathing or speaking.

But what are they really for? Why do we need to wear them?

You have a chipped tooth

If you had an accident and chipped your tooth, or you noticed cracks that may hurt your tongue or cheek, night guards can save the day! tooth fracture can serve as a sign of teeth grinding, so addressing this as early as possible is a must. If not, you can end up with loose teeth Learn more by going to this page and understand how a night guard can help you aside from a restorative dental procedure.

You Grind your Teeth

Some people grind on a regular basis due to momentary difficulties such as work stress. If your bruxism is persistent, meaning you grind your teeth every night, you should talk to your dentist about getting a night guard. While a mouth guard won’t stop you from clenching your jaw, it can help you limit the damage to your teeth if you grind your teeth at night.

You have Joint Pain, Jaw Pain, or Headache

If you have sudden jaw or TMJ pain after, say, yawning or opening your mouth wide, or you woke up with a terrible headache, one thing is for sure. You can blame teeth grinding. Having TMJ pain occurs when the muscles surrounding the jaw become inflamed, which can happen as a result of clenching and grinding the teeth together. Meanwhile, headaches come from sleep apnea. Go to your dentist’s office and inquire about a mouth guard if your dentist diagnoses you with this condition. A mouth guard will stop you from clenching and grinding your teeth, alleviating some of the pain associated with TMJD.

You have depression

There is a study that taking anti-depressants can cause night teeth grinding. Paroxetine, a well-known drug against depression, has a side effect of causing bruxism. If you need help in getting a soft night guard for your teeth issues while taking this medication, go to this website and a reliable dentist can help you.

 

If I wear Braces, can I still Get the right Mouth Guard?

Yes, of course. A correctly fitted mouth guard may be especially critical for persons who wear braces or have fixed bridge work since an injury to the face can harm braces or other fixed appliances. Your dentist or orthodontist will be able to identify which hybrid night guard is ideal for your specific oral work. A word of caution: do not use any orthodontic retainers or other removable appliances while participating in any contact sports or leisure activities that put your mouth in danger of harm.

In this case, Invisalign trays are an exception, as they can be worn during sports and even with dental night guards as mouth protection. If you wear Invisalign aligners and participate in sports, talk to your dentist about whether you should use them and how you should wear them.

 

References:

Mouth Guard For Teeth Grinding: Five Signs You Need One

https://www.colgate.com/en-ph/oral-health/bruxism/mouth-guard-for-teeth-grinding-five-signs-you-need-one-0214

Dental Health Mouth Guards

https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/mouth-guards

Best Mouthguard for Teeth Grinding

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/best-mouthguard-for-teeth-grinding

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