Why Should I Use a Mouth Guard?
There are a variety of reasons your dentist at Library Park Dental may suggest a mouthguard or oral appliance as part of your dental treatment. If you grind your teeth at night or clench your jaw, a mouthguard could prevent premature wearing of your enamel or the development of abfraction; These are small notches at the gingival margin (where your gum meets your tooth) that result from the bending forces from clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth.
Impressions will be made of your upper and lower jaw, and also how your teeth come together. Models are made from these impressions. The models and other information is sent to the lab, where a mouthguard is a custom made for you.
Most of the mouthguards we utilize at Library Park Dental are a clear hard plastic exterior with a softer clear material that covers the teeth. The mouthguard usually is placed on the upper teeth and is checked to make sure that the bite is perfect.
Wearing this at night keeps the jaw from closing completely, which reduces the force on the teeth. It helps to eliminate tension in the joint (TMJ) as well.
Some people grind and clench their teeth due to sleep-disordered breathing. At Library Park Dental, our staff is trained to evaluate your airway with a specialized computer. If indicated, we will work with your medical doctor or one that we partner with to determine if you are suffering from sleep apnea or other sleep-disordered breathing.
If it is determined that an oral sleep appliance would assist your breathing, one will be custom fit using the computerized programming to open your airway. The mouthguard will be adjusted millimeter by millimeter in order to find the best fit for your mouth.
Contact us today to discuss mouthguards or oral appliances and whether they are right for your situation.