Mouth Guards

Wearing a custom-fitted mouthguard is essential for protecting your teeth against damage, whether during sports activities or to prevent teeth grinding (bruxism) at night. At Wagin Dental, we offer custom mouthguards tailored to your specific needs, ensuring optimal comfort and protection.

Types of Mouthguards:

1. Sports Mouthguards: These cover the upper teeth and are crucial during contact sports like rugby, football, and hockey. They can also be worn with braces or aligners to safeguard against injuries.

2. Bruxism Mouthguards (Night Splints): Worn at night, these are designed for individuals who grind their teeth. They may cover either the upper or both upper and lower teeth, depending on the severity of bruxism. Night splints are made from durable materials to protect teeth from damage caused by grinding.

How Mouthguards are Made

To ensure your mouthguard fits perfectly and provides adequate protection, our dentists will take an impression of your teeth using soft putty. This mold is used to create a custom-fitted mouthguard in our lab, typically made from strong acrylic that conforms precisely to your mouth’s shape. The thickness of the mouthguard varies based on its intended use, with thicker materials used for sports to offer maximum protection.

Benefits of Custom-Fitted Mouthguards

  • Long-Term Protection: Custom mouthguards maintain their shape over time, providing ongoing protection for your teeth.
  • Comfort: Designed specifically for your mouth, they are comfortable to wear during sports or while sleeping.
  • Prevention: Night splints reduce teeth grinding, alleviating pain and discomfort in the mouth and jaw. They also help reduce strain on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and can potentially lessen bruxism over time.

Care and Usage

Your dentist will advise you on how long to wear your mouthguard and provide instructions for keeping it clean and hygienic between uses. Regular cleaning and proper maintenance ensure your mouthguard remains effective and comfortable.

Protect your teeth with a custom-fitted mouthguard from Wagin Dental, tailored to your specific needs and providing reliable protection against dental damage.

Custom-fitted mouthguards versus over-the-counter mouthguards

Sports mouthguards can be bought off the shelf, but as these are not designed to fit your mouth, they are less comfortable to wear and offers less protection against injuries. They can even cause damage to your teeth if you wear them for longer than recommended.

Wearing a store-bought mouthguard can also cause difficulty speaking or breathing, which isn’t the case for custom-fitted splints. They are also much less durable, losing their shape over time and needing to be replaced sooner.

Over-the-counter mouthguards can’t be worn with braces and aren’t suitable for wearing at night. If you need a night splint for bruxism, this needs to be custom-fitted by your dentist.

FAQs

Mouth guards serve various essential purposes, primarily protecting teeth, jaws, and surrounding structures. For those with bruxism or teeth grinding, specialized mouth guards act as a protective barrier, preventing enamel wear, fractures, and jaw pain caused by nocturnal teeth clenching. In sports like boxing or hockey, mouth guards shield teeth from impact, reducing the risk of dental injuries during intense activities.

Beyond sports and dental protection, mouth guards also play a role in addressing snoring issues. Snoring mouth guards are designed to reposition the jaw or tongue during sleep, keeping the airway open and reducing snoring episodes. This makes them a non-invasive option for individuals with mild to moderate sleep apnea or snoring problems, promoting better sleep quality and overall health. Mouth guards thus offer versatile solutions tailored to different oral health and sleep-related concerns, enhancing both comfort and protection for users

Sleep apnea mouth guards provide an affordable and effective solution for individuals with mild to moderate sleep apnea. By repositioning the lower jaw and tongue, these devices prevent airway obstruction during sleep, thereby reducing snoring and improving breathing patterns. They offer a non-invasive alternative to CPAP machines and surgery, appealing to those seeking comfort and ease of use in their treatment.

Although effectiveness can vary depending on individual circumstances, many patients experience significant relief and improved sleep quality with these specially designed dental mouth guards. Their ability to enhance airflow and mitigate sleep apnea symptoms makes them a valuable option for managing this common sleep disorder.

A properly fitting mouth guard is essential for both effectiveness and comfort, regardless of its intended use. Whether it's for preventing teeth grinding (bruxism), reducing snoring, or protecting teeth during sports, the main goal is to provide reliable protection. Many people choose custom-moulded mouth guards because they are tailored to fit the unique shape and contours of their teeth and mouth, ensuring a snug and comfortable fit. This personalized approach not only enhances protection but also encourages consistent use, contributing to better outcomes in managing oral health and sleep-related issues.