Mouth Guards / Night Guards
Mouth guards or night guards can be used across the board for a variety of patient populations, even if most people tend to associate them with teenagers playing sports. This isn’t the only misconception about these devices either. When you can purchase several mouth guards at a drugstore for an affordable price, it’s easy to discount their overall importance to your oral health.
At Peak Dental, our staff can help you understand more about the differences between a custom-fitted mouth or night guard and the more disposable products that may not be as effective for certain conditions. These facts can mean the difference between protecting your teeth and losing them.
Mouth Guards
The primary reason that people buy mouth guards is to avoid larger and more expensive problems down the road. Experts recommend them for any high-impact, contact sport, like hockey or football. This can not only make playtime a little safer, it can also give parents and players peace of mind when they’re out on the field.
Mouth guards in Irmo, SC can also be used to gradually move teeth around. For instance, let’s say that a patient’s teeth have several large gaps, and those spaces allow more food and bacteria to accumulate between them. A mouth guard might be prescribed at this point to shift the teeth into their proper positions.
The more evenly spaced your teeth are, the easier it is to brush and floss. This can eventually help the patient stave off cavities or even gum disease. It may even help a person avoid the bigger expense of braces. If a dentist has recommended a mouth guard for the purpose of teeth shifting, it’s because they believe they might not have to go the more dramatic route of aligners or traditional metal braces.
Night Guards for Bruxism
Teeth grinding (or bruxism) in Irmo, SC might be more common than people realize, particularly because the aftermath isn’t always noticeable to the person in question. Anything from garden-anxiety stress to certain medical conditions can inspire people to mash their teeth while they’re in bed, and night guards can be truly life-changing for anyone who’s prone to this habit. Not only does it keep the soft tissue of the mouth from feeling the sting of the teeth, it can also protect against chipped teeth or nerve damage. In very extreme cases, people have been known to experience major cracks in their teeth or even tooth loss.
Dentists in Irmo, SC
Peak Dental has seen just how beneficial the right oral devices can be for our patients, particularly if they want to address problems before they have the chance to really make their mark on the mouth. A custom-fitted mouth guard will function very differently than a one-size-fits-all guard that you can pick up at the store. Not only will it last longer, because it’s designed to hold up against repeated pressure, but it will also be more effective at either moving their teeth or keeping them from running into one another.
It’s important to invest in quality devices when it comes to your mouth. The more attention you can give your teeth today, the more likely they are to stay strong even as you age. If you have questions, we can tell you more about what a custom-fit mouth guard can do for you.
Mouth guards or night guards can be used across the board for a variety of patient populations, even if most people tend to associate them with teenagers playing sports. This isn’t the only misconception about these devices either. When you can purchase several mouth guards at a drugstore for an affordable price, it’s easy to discount their overall importance to your oral health.
At Peak Dental, our staff can help you understand more about the differences between a custom-fitted mouth or night guard and the more disposable products that may not be as effective for certain conditions. These facts can mean the difference between protecting your teeth and losing them.
