Unwanted, sudden dental trauma can be experienced unexpectedly or suddenly. The risk of dental trauma (broken or dislocated tooth) increases with an accident, such as when someone unexpectedly slips and falls while participating in a weekend sport, falls at school, or grinds their teeth at night. Mouthguards for both adults and kids can protect your smile and decrease the chance of further damage to your teeth, gums, lips and jaw from an accident, which is one of the most efficient methods to avoid such accidents.
Prevention is always a top priority for the Family Dental Practice. A custom mouthguard is specifically created to fit your mouth properly; therefore, it will fit better, hold more securely in position and provide much greater protection than any commercially available over-the-counter options.
Understanding how mouth guards function will assist you in making the best choice for your child’s oral health in the long run, regardless of whether your child participates in sports or you observe signs of grinding/clenching.
What is a custom-fitted mouth guard?
Custom mouthguards are a protective mechanism designed for everyone’s teeth and bite. The dentist takes an exact impression or digital scan of the mouth and uses that to create a guard that fits comfortably over the teeth.
Custom mouth guards fit the shape of your teeth, unlike store-bought varieties. Because of this, they will fit much more snugly, will retain their position better, and provide more reliable protection.
A mouth guard could be recommended for sports, night grinding, or to protect existing dental work such as crowns, bridges, and orthodontic appliances, based on your specific needs.
Why children benefit from mouth guards
Children being active means they’re also more susceptible to getting hurt in the mouth! These activities include playing school sports, going to weekend sports or playing during free time. All of these activities have an element of risk. The types of sports that will create the highest chance of oral injury are: rugby, soccer, netball, hockey and martial arts.
A kid’s mouth guard can significantly reduce the risk of:
- Chipped or fractured teeth
- Knocked-out teeth
- Injuries to the lips, cheeks, or tongue
- Jaw strain or impact injuries
- Damage to braces or orthodontic appliances
- Emergency dental treatment after sports
Even minor injuries to the teeth and jaw of children’s mouths can cause long-lasting changes due to an ever-changing child’s jaw and teeth. Treatment may affect a child’s ability to chew, develop proper speaking skills, feel confident and affect their future dental health.
Comfort is also extremely important; children are less likely to wear their mouthpiece regularly if it is uncomfortable, and if it prevents them from being able to eat their food comfortably. Custom-made mouthpieces will fit better, and children will have a greater chance of keeping their custom mouthpiece in when playing sports because they won’t be distracted by its discomfort.
Mouth guards for adults are just as important
Mouthguards, while typically thought of as something that children wear to play contact sports or as accessories for serious athletes at the professional level, are beneficial to all adults, even if they don’t compete in organised sports.
Adults also engage in recreational activities at the gym, playing outdoors, or doing intense physical activity, all of which carry the risk of collisions or falls. An additional reason that many adults seek out mouthguards for protection is because of their use for teeth grinding or bruxism.
An adult mouth guard is often recommended for people who grind or clench their teeth during sleep. This habit can happen unconsciously and may only be noticed when symptoms appear, such as:
- Jaw tightness or soreness in the morning
- Frequent headaches
- Tooth sensitivity
- Flattened or worn teeth
- Cracked fillings or teeth
- Discomfort when chewing
Grindings can put a lot of force on the teeth and jaw joints over time; a Dental Mouth Guard provides a way to protect yourself from damage caused by constant pressure between your top and bottom teeth by creating an interface between them.
While a Mouth Guard will not completely stop grinding, it will substantially decrease the amount of wear on your teeth and provide some protection to maintain long-term oral health.
Custom-fitted vs store-bought mouth guards
Not every type of mouth guard will give you the same amount of protection. Variance in terms of fit, comfort, and durability will affect how well a mouth guard protects you.
Stock Mouth Guards
Stock mouth guards come prefabricated and do not require you to shape them to your bite, making them less expensive. Because they are not shaped to fit your teeth, stock mouth guards usually do not fit well, are uncomfortable, and do not provide as much protection as custom-made mouth guards.
Boil & bite mouthguard
These mouthguards can be shaped by briefly soaking them in hot water before forming them to your teeth by biting. They should provide a better fit than a stock mouthguard, but how the material adapts will ultimately determine the quality of the fit.
Custom-fitted appliances/guards
A professionally made appliance is designed by taking an impression or scan of your teeth to ensure proper fitting, comfort, and maximum protection while you are participating in sports or sleeping.
The benefits you will receive from using a well-made appliance can often be felt as soon as you put it in your mouth. A well-made appliance will provide you with a sense of confidence that it is secure, will help you breathe easier, and will remain in place even when you need it to.
Key benefits of a custom-fitted mouth guard
A professionally constructed mouthpiece has many benefits, including:
Improved comfort and wearability
A proper fit will allow you to wear the mouthpiece more comfortably and naturally, thus increasing the chance of regular use.
Enhanced safety
Because of its form being designed specifically for the mouth and jaw, there is less chance of experiencing trauma from a direct blow.
For those with orthodontics or other dental work
You can protect your child while wearing braces, and you can also provide additional protection to adults who wear crowns, veneers, or anything else that has been placed on the tooth to enhance the overall appearance, function, and structure of the tooth.
Customising your Oral Protection
Dentists can suggest several varieties of mouth guards for sports, sleep, and/or general protection.
When Must One Use a Mouth Guard?
Mouthguards must be worn whenever there is any activity presenting a considerable risk of injury due to an impact on one’s mouth and/or jaw; e.g., football or any other contact sport, ball sport, bicycle riding, skating, karate, etc.
It may also be recommended if you experience signs of grinding or clenching, such as:
- Waking with jaw discomfort
- Morning headaches
- Tooth sensitivity
- Worn or chipped teeth
- Clicking or fatigue in the jaw
- Cracked fillings or restorations
If any of these symptoms are present, a dental check-up is the best next step.
How is a mouth guard made?
It’s simple and very comfortable. First, your dentist will assess your teeth and overall health, including how they bite together. If a mouth guard is recommended, an impression or digital scan will be taken to produce a model of your teeth to create a properly fitting guard.
Once the guard is ready, your dentist will check the fit to make sure it is comfortable and effective by making any final adjustments.
Growing children need to be reviewed on a regular basis as their mouths are growing and their jaws are changing, thus affecting how well the guard will fit.
Caring for your mouth guard
The way you take care of your mouthguard will keep it clean and help it last longer.
When you finish using your mouthguard, rinse it with cool water and clean it with a soft toothbrush. Don’t use hot water because hot water can melt the shape of your mouthguard. Be sure to always store your handguard in an open container with airflow, and keep it away from pets, heat, and direct sunlight.
Bring your mouthguard to your dental visits so it can be checked for wear and fit.
Protecting your smile through prevention
Long-term effects may arise as a result of dental damage. Affecting one’s comfort, function and appearance. Repairing damaged teeth is often an intricate and expensive treatment.
Customised mouth guards® are an important preventative intervention that makes a substantial impact in providing both adults and children with protection from injury. Whether they are protecting you from injuries while playing sports or protecting you from injuries in your sleep, a custom-fit mouth guard helps protect your smile from injury.
At Family Dental Practice in Brighton-Le-Sands, we ensure you receive the most personalised care available when designing a mouthguard that is right for you and your specific needs.
If you wish to get a mouthguard for either yourself or your child, a consultation with your dentist is always the best option to begin with.
