Safeguard your smile from everything ranging from sports injuries to grinding at night.
Night Guard: Mouth and Night Guards
Do you play high-contact sports? Do you grind your teeth at night due to stress? Do you wake up every morning with a sore jaw and headaches?
If yes, you might need a mouth guard or a night guard to protect your teeth. From pucks and footballs to stress, your teeth can stay protected when wearing a mouth or customized night guard from East Village Dental. The cost of a night guard can vary depending on the type and materials used, so checking your insurance details is essential to see if you are eligible for coverage.
What Is a Mouth Guard?
Mouth guards or mouth protectors are worn over your teeth for protection from injuries to the face, upper teeth, and head. The dental device usually covers the upper region of your teeth and gums. It is meant to shield your teeth from getting chipped or broken during a fall or accidental blow to the head.
The device is often considered mandatory safety equipment for athletes participating in high-contact sports, such as ice hockey, football, basketball, and gymnastics. However, it is essential to avoid washing the mouth guard with hot water, as it could cause the plastic to warp and no longer fit properly.
That said, mouthguards aren’t just for people who play sports.
What Is a TMJ Night Guard?
Over the years, the mouth guard has become a general dental protective device. That means it is being used as extra protection for lower teeth by people who:
- Snore.
- Grind their teeth.
- Suffer from sleep apnea.
In these instances, the mouth guard is referred to as a soft night guard or bite splint and functions as a support to prevent these issues from happening while the patient is asleep. The Hybrid Night Guard, made from a unique dual laminate material, is famous for moderate to heavy grinders and clenchers. Its soft interior and hard exterior offer a balance of comfort and durability.
What Happens if You Don’t Treat Teeth Grinding?
You may want to consider the consequences of not treating your bruxism.
Leaving it untreated could result in:
- Tooth Damage: If your teeth keep grinding over an extended period, it can lead to tooth decay, cracked teeth, chipped teeth, and even tooth loss. This may mean extensive and expensive dental work such as root canals, crowns, or dentures.
- Jaw Problems: If left untreated, bruxism can lead to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). Jaw pain, muscle soreness, headaches, earaches, back pain, and facial pain accompany this.
- Mood Disorders: Bruxism can have an impact on your quality of sleep. Good sleep is so essential for your health. Without enough quality sleep, you could experience all sorts of health problems, including emotional disorders.
Purchasing a high-quality plastic night guard is an investment in your oral health. This investment will save you from spending more money on treating the problems listed above.
What Is the TMJ Night Guard Process?
When you visit East Village Dental for a night guard, we usually walk you through a possible 3 step process.
- Impressions: Our excellent dentists will take an impression of your teeth for the custom-fitted guard. They will then send those impressions to the dental lab for your night guard to be crafted.
- Fitting: The dentist will test the guard’s fit to ensure a perfect match. You and our dentist will decide whether the mouth guard is as comfortable as possible before you leave our Calgary office.
- Further Adjustments: We may schedule a third visit to allow you to test it out at home. When you come in, they may make adjustments as necessary. We want to ensure this investment is as comfortable and helpful as possible.
Why Choose a Custom Mouth Guard?
East Village Dental offers custom-made mouth and dental guards for our patients. We believe any mouthguard should be tailored according to your teeth’ impressions. Mouthguards function better when they fit snugly.
Custom-made mouthguards:
- They are more comfortable.
- They are Easier to wear and remove.
- Don’t hinder your speech or cause trouble when you breathe.
Dr. Greg Broyde and Dr. Navdeep will ensure you receive a mouth guard matching your teeth. We pride ourselves on providing our patients with high-quality, personal care.
Say goodbye to dental woes with a mouth guard made just for you at East Village Dental!
The Main Benefits of Mouthguards:
If your mouthguard is worn consistently and is made from resilient material approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it should:
- Be easy to clean.
- Cover all teeth on one arch.
- Absorb high-impact energy.
- Comfortably and securely, it stays in place.
- Fit appropriately to your mouth and oral structures.
- Reduce impact forces on the wearer during sports or physical activity.
When Should You Use a Mouth Guard?
Our local dentists in Calgary recommend a mouthguard in the abovementioned cases. It is usually seen as the best way to lower the risks of severe dental injuries from activities such as:
- Sports: Mouth guards promote safety and oral healthcare to those who participate in high-impact sports, including, but not limited to, basketball, hockey, wrestling, volleyball, and more.
- Snoring: A mouthguard can help you reduce your snoring. Snoring occurs through the vibrations of soft tissue in one’s upper airway. Similar to sleep apnea, the mouth guard keeps your airway open.
- Teeth Grinding: Did you know that a chipped tooth could be a sign that you grind your teeth when sleeping? When you grind your teeth, you put unnecessary pressure on the enamel of your teeth.
- Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD): TMD occurs when your jaw joints are strained or dislocated. TMD can be caused by teeth grinding or clenching. A mouthguard can assist in the prevention of teeth clenching and grinding.
- Taking Antidepressants: Did you know that the main ingredient in antidepressants can cause teeth grinding at night? Contact your dentist if you are experiencing pain or discomfort and need a mouth guard to protect your teeth against side effects.
What Can Mouth Guards Do?
Mouth guards can also be used in myology treatments, as control devices for sleep apnea, and much more.
Your Mouth Guard can aid in:
- Minimizing the impact of a head/face injury during a game.
- Protecting your teeth from chipping, reducing bites and sensitivity.
- Allowing your jaw muscles to relax and reducing tension between your jaws.
- Reducing muscular fatigue and soreness that are caused by excessive clenching.
- Preventing the wear and tear of your teeth during nighttime grinding and clenching.
Do I Need a Mouth Guard?
Our expert dentists will be able to tell you whether you need a mouth guard or not by assessing your teeth for signs of wear.
The Canadian Dental Association states, “Regular dental checkups are important to detect damage in the early stages. Your dentist can diagnose and treat irregular wear on teeth.”
When choosing a mouth guard, it can be beneficial to identify the root cause of your grinding. In some cases, bruxism is thought to be caused by:
- Stress.
- Sleep apnea.
- Certain medications.
Taking care of these causes could also take care of your bruxism symptoms, so you’ll want to work with our dentists to get to the bottom of the cause and protect your teeth with a mouth guard for grinding teeth.
Ready To Get a Mouth Guard?
Don’t settle for pain or discomfort. By visiting East Village Dental for a mouth guard, you make the most beneficial investment in fixing oral discomfort.
Getting a custom-fit mouthguard is a surefire way to ensure you receive appropriate and effective care at a comfortable and efficient price.
A Better Night’s Sleep Starts Here
Whether you’re a sports player, frustrated with your nighttime teeth grinding and clenching together, or suffer from sleep apnea, it doesn’t matter. Our dentists at East Dental Village in Calgary are ready to assist. We provide custom-made mouthguards and night guards for our clients.
Don’t hesitate to give us a call today!