Mouthguards are oral prosthetic devices that protect teeth from damage or serious injuries. Many professional and recreational athletes wear them while playing footy, basketball, and other team sports to ensure peace of mind. On the other hand, many Australians wear custom fitted mouthguards not for playing sports, but to protect their teeth from grinding-related damage while sleeping.
Whether you’re considering custom made mouthguards for playing sports or for protecting your dental health from teeth grinding and bruxism, understanding their comfort and protective benefits can help you feel assured in making an informed decision. As a reputable, highly experienced dental service provider that has faithfully served numerous patients in Annerley, QLD, and surrounding neighbourhoods since 1994, we can guide you through this journey.
This blog will delve deeper into how custom designed mouthguards protect teeth from injury, empowering you to take charge of your long-term dental health and enjoy peace of mind.
When Are Mouthguards Ideal?
Mouthguards protect your oral cavity from severe damage and injuries. Your dentist usually recommends them for the following situations:
- Sports or athletic injuries: Australians who play contact sports, such as basketball, footy, boxing, or mixed martial arts, increase their risk of severe facial and mouth injuries. Custom fitted mouthguards help safeguard the oral tissues from trauma and impact, providing wearers with confidence and security.
Conventional mouthguards cover the upper teeth and gums, maintaining a clear separation between the upper and lower teeth. These prosthetic devices also shield the lips, cheeks, and tongue and reduce impact on the jaw joints.
- Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD): This condition affects the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which connects the jaw to the skull, compromising jaw movement, jaw muscles, and adjacent facial structures. Worse, TMD can significantly affect a person’s ability to chew and their daily activities.
Custom made mouthguards realign the upper and lower jaws, relieving pain and discomfort over time. Since TMD is complex, a highly experienced dentist must constantly monitor and adjust custom fitted mouthguards to ensure optimal, long-term results.
- Obstructive sleep disorders and snoring: Sleep apnea is an obstructive sleep disorder in which a person experiences disrupted breathing patterns during sleep. Health experts have determined that snoring is a significant risk factor.
Fortunately, custom designed mouthguards offer relief to patients with mild-to-moderate snoring and sleep apnea by shifting the lower jaw upward and forward. Consequently, this shift stabilises the upper respiratory airway, allowing smoother airflow, less snoring, and lowering significant health risks.
- Bruxism: This is a condition in which a person clenches, grinds, or gnashes his teeth. Bruxism occurs subconsciously, whether an individual is awake or asleep. Stress, anxiety, sleep disorders, and certain medicines can trigger bruxism.
Constant, unchecked bruxism can chip, flatten, shorten, or crack the teeth. Bruxism can also cause gum recession, jaw issues, and muscle pain. Mouthguards for teeth grinding (splints for daytime use and night guards for nighttime use) protect the teeth and oral cavity from the damaging, long-term effects of bruxism.
These resilient oral prosthetics achieve this objective by creating a barrier between the upper and lower teeth, minimising jaw muscle force, preserving your teeth, and ensuring peace of mind.
Why Do Dentists Recommend Custom Made Mouthguards?
Since each patient is unique, a one-size-fits-all approach to mouthguards is often uncomfortable and inconvenient. Although a generic mouthguard from the local pharmacy fits most budgets, it doesn’t produce the best long-term results.
For this reason, dentists recommend custom fitted mouthguards because they offer a superior fit that feels comfortable, stays securely in place, and produces better long-term results than inferior, generic versions.
Custom designed mouthguards transcend comfort and provide other reasons why dentists recommend them, including the following:
- Enhanced protection: Custom fitted mouthguards provide the highest level of shock absorption, significantly reducing the risk of tooth fractures, jaw injuries, soft-tissue damage, and sports-related concussions.
- Easier breathing and speaking: These personalised oral prosthetics’ unique fit enables the wearer to breathe more easily and speak more clearly than generic, store-bought versions.
- Long-term durability: Manufacturers create custom made mouthguards from resilient, dental-grade materials, allowing them to last longer than inferior versions.
- Reduced irritation: Unlike generic mouthguards, custom-made versions’ smooth, customised edges don’t irritate and rub the gums.
- Suitability: Whether you’re an athlete, a person with braces, a bruxism patient, or someone with rare dental anatomy, customised mouthguards offer long-term relief and can significantly improve your dental health, making you feel confident in a personalised and proven dental solution.
Mouthguard Care Tips
Neglecting a custom designed mouthguard can increase the risk of severe dental issues, costly treatments, and long-term discomfort. Wearing one can prevent these issues and provide long-term peace of mind.
You can achieve long-lasting protection and comfort by wearing your custom made mouthguard as recommended by your dental professional. Proper, consistent mouthguard care also empowers you to maintain its durability and your dental health. Following these tips can help your oral prosthetic endure over time:
- Clean and dry thoroughly: To clean custom designed mouthguards, we recommend using a toothbrush, a gentle liquid soap, or a dental cleaning solution. Brush the mouthguard’s surface then rinse thoroughly with water.
Please place it on a clean, dry surface away from direct sunlight or heat sources (radiators, dishwashers, and hairdryers) that can warp the material.
- Avoid hot water: Contrary to popular belief, hot water can warp or distort customised mouthguards rather than clean them. Use warm water to clean your mouthguard thoroughly and reap its benefits.
- Check your mouthguard frequently: Although modern, custom fitted mouthguards are durable, they can wear down from hard, constant teeth grinding or clenching.
For this reason, we recommend regularly inspecting your oral prosthetic and consulting your trusted dental practitioner to determine whether it requires an immediate replacement.
- Prioritise regular dental evaluations: Consider bringing your customised mouthguard to your dental check-ups. Your dentist can analyse its fit and efficiency. He can also recommend a possible replacement and clean the mouthguard for you.
Conclusion
Custom fitted mouthguards offer athletes and people with sleep apnea, TMD, and bruxism long-term relief and peace of mind. Better yet, these oral prosthetics’ timely intervention prevents severe dental issues and costly procedures over time. If you’re considering custom designed mouthguards, consult a highly experienced dentist who can offer personalised solutions and insights tailored to your unique situation.
Since 1994, Annerley Dental has provided patients in the Brisbane areas and surrounding neighbourhoods with premium, cost-effective dental solutions. Please contact us today to schedule an appointment and discover high-quality dental treatments that guarantee long-term results.