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General Dentistry

Candidates for Mouth Guards: How Protective Retainers Can Benefit You

By January 12, 2015No Comments

150694217-xsAt Dentistry at 1818 Market St., we are committed to advanced dental care for all patients in and around Philadelphia. This means a combination of advanced cosmetic dentistry to improve smile aesthetics as well asthe latest restorative dentistry treatments to improve dental health and wellness.

Sometimes the ideal option for care is preventative in nature, and that could mean the use of mouth guards. Let’s see who the ideal candidates are for mouth guards right now.

What is a mouth guard?

A mouth guard is a protective retainer that is used to prevent major damage to the teeth, gums, and other structures of the mouth. There are many different people who would benefit from getting a mouth guard, both for protective and preventative uses as well as part of a dental care treatment of some kind.

Mouth Guards Are Great for Athletes of Different Levels

People who play contact sports or participate in combat sports are ideal candidates for getting mouth guards. This goes for professional athletes, student athletes, amateurs and semi-pros, or your run-of-the-mill weekend warrior who takes sports seriously.

Some common sports in which mouth guards are a good idea include:

  • Football
  • Hockey
  • Lacrosse
  • Rugby
  • Boxing
  • Wrestling
  • Tournament martial arts
  • Mixed martial arts (MMA)

Custom Athletic Mouth Guards Allow for Ideal Performance

While stock mouth guards and semi-customizable mouth guards are available at the sporting goods store and online, the fully customized mouth guards are most ideal. These fully customized mouth guards offer a level of comfort that cannot be matched by the stock mouth guards you can get at the store.

If you take athletics and competition seriously, be sure to discuss getting a customized mouth guard made with your dentist. It may be an ideal option for your needs.

Mouth Guards Help Treat Tooth Grinding (Bruxism)

Tooth grinding is a condition in which the teeth of the upper dental arch and the teeth of the lower dental arch clench, shift, or gnash against one another. This may be due to poor dental alignment that makes your teeth unable to find a proper rest position or major stress and anxiety. A combination of stress and poor dental alignment can actually cause your teeth to grind as well.

A mouth guard is part of the treatment process for teeth grinding. It protects the teeth of the upper and lower dental arches from damage, preventing chips, cracks, and wear when the patient is asleep. Other treatments (e.g., orthodontics, stress management) are combined with the mouth guard to promote total wellness.

Mouth Guards Are Part of Treatment for TMJ Disorders

The jaw joint (aka the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ) is one of the most complicated joints in the entire body, having to make multiple motions for biting, chewing, speaking, and making facial expressions. Stress on the jaw joint caused by tooth grinding can lead to a TMJ disorder, a condition in which the common signs are clicking, popping, lockjaw, and jaw pain.

Since tooth grinding is a common cause of TMJ disorders, a mouth guard is often an ideal option for treatment. The mouth guard helps reduce the amount of stress placed on the jaw joint during sleep, and allows the symptoms of TMJ disorders to be reduced and the root cause properly treated.

Schedule a Visit at Dentistry at 1818 Market St.

For more information about mouth guards and how they may be the right treatment for you and your needs, it’s important that you contact our advanced dental care center today. At Dentistry at 1818 Market St., we will help you get the treatment that you need to smile with absolute confidence.