Mouth guards- The best Bodyguard for your Teeth

Mouth guards are protective layers made of a type of plastic that fit over teeth to protect them from damage. Dentist in fort Valley, GA recommend that one should wear a mouth guard every time they participate in athletic activities. This is a custom oral appliance that protects teeth and smile from damage, allowing one to play without worry. At Whitaker Family dental studio, dentist and their team are dedicated to keeping the patient’s smile healthy and free from pain. They provide several types of mouth guards at their office.

There are various reasons one would might want to consider mouth guards for themselves or their child. The most common reason is athletics as teeth can be conveniently knocked out during sporting activities, therefore a mouth guard is suggested to protect teeth from these forces. However, there are mouth guards for teeth grinding also available at Whitaker in Fort Valley, GA.

Benefits of Dental Mouth Guards

• Mouth guards protect teeth from internal and external damage
• Custom mouth guards fit perfectly in the mouth.
• They are easy to clean.
• They prevent teeth from bruising and cutting the soft surfaces of their mouth.
• They’re durable and last a long time.

Types of mouthguards

Mouthguards come are of basically 3 types; the “boil-and-bite” fitted mouthguard, the pre-made mouthguard and the custom-made mouthguard.

Stock mouth guards

These are available over the counter and come pre-formed and ready to wear. Stock mouth guards are usually one size that fits all and inexpensive. Sometimes, they might make sleeping uncomfortable, make breathing difficult, less adjustable and offer very little protection.

Boil and bite mouth guards

These mouthguards need to be first softened in hot water and then it should be moulded around the mouth using the fingers and tongue. As compared to Stock mouthguards, these fit better but it still does not give a precise, customized fit.

Custom-fitted mouthguards

These are customised and made to fit a patient. They are more expensive than stock mouth guards and bite and boil mouthguards. But they offer the best fit, protection and comfort. These guards can also be used by athletes to protect the teeth.

Custom-fitted dental nightguards

Sometimes dentists might also recommend a dental nightguard if anyone is suffering from sleep apnea, snoring, or grinding and clenching of the teeth. Long-term grinding can wear down the enamel of the teeth and may cause oral and other health problems.

Dental nightguards are individually customised to fit at a professional dental lab using an impression of the patient’s teeth. There are many insurance plans at Whitaker dental studio which can cover some of the cost of this type of mouthguard. Nightguards also protects against muscle strain and tooth wear and offer improved comfort. If anyone has experienced any of the dental issues, one should visit the dentist in fort Valley, CA to learn more about how a mouthguard can protect their teeth. Whitaker Dentistry understands the need for mouth and nightguards and can help the patient choose the right guard for their situation.

If the person wants to use the dental mouth guard in the daytime, they can easily be purchased over the counter without any custom fitting to the mouth. These are mostly used to temporarily protect the teeth, mostly during a sporting activity. There is also a more effective version that can be used at night, which is known as heat-fitted mouth guard. This type of guard must be heated and then worn inside the mouth until it has perfectly moulded itself to the teeth. Sometimes, the risk of damage to the mouth can be so great that a mouth guard will have to be custom made.

There are some situations where the grinding of teeth, or compulsive biting at night, may actually cause the jaw to become misaligned. In this case, special dental mouth guards are used called bite splints. A bite plate not only avoids the teeth from hitting one another at night and relieves some pressure in the jaw but also can be structured to help pull the jaw back into alignment. Dental mouth guards that are recommended for this reason are mostly used in conjunction with muscle-relaxing drugs to increase their effectiveness.