A mouth guard covers your teeth to protect them from injury due to teeth grinding
or sports. Regardless of use, a custom-fitted mouth guard made with the help of your dentist offers the most comfort and protection.
Teeth Grinding
Do you regularly wake up with a sore jaw or minor headache? Or do you catch yourself clenching your teeth? These are common symptoms of teeth grinding. However, many people aren’t aware that they grind while sleeping until their dentist notices unusual wear on their teeth. This is another reason why regular dental check-ups are necessary.
It’s important to identify teeth grinding early since it can damage teeth and restorations. In the long term, it can even loosen teeth and affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). If you need a night mouth guard for teeth grinding, we can provide you with a comfortable and durable one to use while you sleep.
Sports protection
A mouth guard may also be useful to avoid dental and facial injury when playing sports. With more young people playing competitive sports than ever before, the number of dental injuries is rising. It’s estimated that sports accidents may account for up to 40 percent of dental injuries in children. In just a couple of seconds, an elbow or fall can damage teeth and surrounding tissues.
Mouth guards protect you from getting a tooth knocked out or requiring extensive dental repair work. They can keep teeth safe from chips, breaks, or nerve damage. In addition, mouth guards shield your tongue and other soft tissues around your mouth. For these reasons, the American Dental Association recommends mouth guards for sports.
For our teeth-grinding or sports-playing patients, we provide custom-fitted mouth guards using impressions of the mouth. Some of our patients require just an upper mouth guard, while others may also need or want a lower mouth guard. We send your impressions to a trusted dental lab, and when the mouth guard returns, we make sure it fits you correctly and comfortably. Your mouth guard is tailor-made for you out of high-quality material.
If you or a family member may need a mouth guard, let us know so we can protect your smile. After hearing your concerns and performing an exam, Dr. Scott can recommend how to keep your teeth safe.