Q: Who can benefit from a custom mouth guard?
A: Athletes, Nighttime Grinders and Clenchers, and Snorers.
If you are any of the above, find out the best Custom Mouth Guard solution for you below:
Custom Athletic Mouth Guard
Hockey, lacrosse, football, basketball, wrestling…many contact sports put you at risk for injuries to your teeth, jaw, head, face, and neck. A custom athletic mouth guard protects teeth from impact trauma and can save your smile.
Proper Fit:
A custom mouth guard can ensure an accurate fit. Mouth guards are not a one size fits all. Our teeth, jaw, and mouth vary in size and shape. Sporting goods and department stores often carry pre-formed or mouth-formed guards. The poorest fit will come from pre-formed guards. These require the mouth to be closed to hold them in place making breathing and talking difficult. Mouth-formed or often known as “boil-and-bite” mouth guards will fit slightly better, with less bulk. However, they will not form to the teeth as tightly and comfortably as a custom-fitted mouth guard.
Custom-fitted mouth guards are designed with your dental history in mind along with the specific sport you are playing. This means any braces or appliances you have will be protected as well. To make a custom-fitted mouth guard we will take an impression of your teeth. The cast of your impression makes a near perfect model of your mouth and is sent to a dental lab where your mouth guard will be constructed. The dental lab will mold the mouth guard material of choice around the cast, getting in all nooks necessary for a proper fit. Once the mouth guard is ready, we inspect the mouth guard and make sure you are satisfied with the fit.
Comfort:
Because a custom mouth guard is made from a direct impression of your mouth there is no unwanted or unnecessary bulky material left over. The mouth guard should stay put in your mouth without having to keep your mouth closed. This makes breathing, talking and swallowing much easier.
Because custom fit mouth guards are more comfortable than non-custom they are more likely to be worn. For children, comfort tends to be of even more importance. Therefore we find the occurrences of taking it out during practice, complaining it hurts and “forgetting” to wear it decreased. Additionally, introducing custom-fit mouth guards to children when they are young increases the chances they will continue wearing them into adulthood.
Maximum Protection:
A custom-fitted mouth guard from Larson Creek Dental, will cover and protect all of your teeth. If impact takes place, this mouth guard will absorb the shock and distribute the impact properly. According to the International Academy of Sports Dentistry; a properly fabricated mouth guard “separates the mandible (lower jaw) and maxilla (upper jaw), thereby buffering the transmission of concussive effect to the base of the brain”. As concussions continue to rise in young athletes, properly fit mouth guards are a smart preventative measure for anyone to add to contact sports.
Custom mouth guards also provide protection to any appliances you have in your mouth. Braces, retainers, implant-supported dentures, etc. which can be costly to repair.
Correct Thickness:
Heavy contact sports such as boxing, hockey and football will require the appropriate thickness to handle the impact. Low contact sports such as tennis and racquetball can be thinner. Impact is much less likely to occur and at much less severity in these sports. Custom mouth guards provide the opportunity to create protection for your teeth specifically for your needs.
Custom Night Guard
Bruxism (teeth grinding) and clenching often occur at night while asleep. Common symptoms of teeth grinding include waking up with a headache, the feeling of tenderness or pain in the jaw, or unexplained damage to teeth. In addition, your partner may hear clicking or chattering noises that you make when you sleep.
Grinding and clenching can generate forces in excess of 200 pounds! Over time this can lead to damage of the tooth enamel and other oral health problems. If untreated, teeth grinding can result in permanent tooth and oral damage that require surgery or other expensive treatments. While reducing stress or home remedies may be effective treatments for minor cases of teeth grinding, most patients who suffer from habitual teeth grinding require professional solutions to prevent serious, long term damage.
A night guard protects the teeth from damage by cushioning the effects of grinding and clenching while sleeping. A study in the British Dental Journal notes that night guards purchased online are associated with tissue damage and teeth movement, and may even present a choking hazard. Getting a custom-fitted night guard will provide the safest, most accurate fit as it is made specifically for your teeth.
Custom Snore Guard
Snore guards are premium, custom-designed dental sleep appliances developed for the treatment of snoring. It is an effective, comfortable, and durable solution. By simply wearing a snore guard while sleeping your lower jaw (mandible) will be moved forward into a comfortable position, allowing relaxation of the tissues at the back of your throat and ensuring the base of your tongue does not collapse and block your airway, giving you a safe and soundless sleep.
Most people prefer a custom snore guard for its comfort, convenience and effectiveness.
As an added bonus, if you suffer from bruxism (teeth grinding) and clenching, this appliance will also be an effective aid in protecting your teeth.