Types of Mouthguards

A mouthguard can protect teeth and tongues during collision and contact sports as well as from the pressure caused by clenching and grinding (bruxism). They are often advised for adults and children with medical conditions like bruxism or sleep apnea.

To maintain clean and fresh mouthguards, they should be rinsed in cold water both prior to being placed into and removed from use, storing in a cool location to reduce distortion, and being stored under refrigeration.

Custom Fit

By taking impressions of your teeth and jaw, a dentist can create custom mouthguards tailored specifically for each lower or upper jaw. While more expensive than store-bought options, custom mouthguards provide superior protection from injuries while needing less regular replacement.

Custom-fitted mouthguards are created by dental professionals using strong material that won’t wear down easily, offering optimal overall protection. They’re available at many dental offices and some sports stores.

These guards are created by layering superheated plastic to precise specifications and then cooling it quickly to form an extremely durable piece of protective equipment that conforms to the shape and size of each wearer’s teeth and gum line. Thick guards may be necessary in sports like boxing or hockey with increased impact forces, whereas thinner models might suffice in less-contact activities like tennis or racquetball where impacts occur less frequently.

Comparative to boil-and-bite protectors, custom-fitted mouthguards offer better coverage and more comfortable wear than their counterparts. Plus they’re easy to keep clean & can even be reshaped for greater durability!

As well as protecting the teeth and gums, a mouthguard can also serve to shield any existing dental work, like braces or implants, which prevents it from shifting during use and reduces the risk of knocked-out teeth or complications such as painful clenching or grinding caused by sports or activities that put pressure on them.

Sports injuries can be costly for high school and college athletes alike. A serious jaw or head injury could keep an athlete out of action and have lasting repercussions, so getting a mouthguard will significantly lower their chance of injury so they can return to play more quickly.

A properly constructed mouthguard will cover all of the teeth and have sufficient thickness to cushion against impact force, as well as providing separation of mandible and maxilla to reduce transference of energy to the base of the brain – an integral component in avoiding concussion among young athletes.

Stock

Stock mouthguards are pre-formed and ready to wear; you can find them for sale at many sporting goods stores at a relatively low cost. Unfortunately, however, their bulky designs often make it difficult to talk or breathe while wearing one and can increase the likelihood of sports-related concussion.

Boil-and-bite mouthguards may provide slightly better fitting than stock protectors, yet still fall short in comfort or protection. Constructed of thermoplastic material, these mouthguards require being immersed in boiling water prior to being worn for softening purposes before biting on. Once softened, the user must shape it using fingers and tongue before leaving it cool before placing in their mouth.

These affordable mouthguards may seem cost-effective; however, a recent study by the Journal of the Academy of General Dentistry demonstrated this. 8.3% of athletes wearing stock mouthguards experienced mild traumatic brain injuries or concussions while only 3.6% who used custom fitted mouthguards did.

Your dentist can create a custom-fitted mouthguard from an impression of your teeth to provide the most comfortable, precise, and protective fit possible. They may create one soft for light grinding; hybrid for moderate-heavy grinding; or hard to prevent bruxism and promote tooth retention.

Custom mouthguards may cost more than stock or boil-and-bite protectors; however, in the long run they could save you money by eliminating dental work needed to fix improperly fitting or poorly constructed mouthguards. Furthermore, custom fitted by a dentist mouthguards prevent top and bottom teeth from touching while sleeping, helping reduce pressure caused by bruxism on your teeth, gums, and jaws.

Reach out to a renowned and experienced dentist to get yourself fitted for the ideal mouthguard. An inexpensive investment, mouthguards can save both money and pain in future dental work, providing peace of mind to both parties involved.

Boil-and-Bite

Boil-and-bite mouth guards are popular among athletes as they’re both cost-effective and simple to fit. Crafted from thermoplastic material softened in boiling water, these devices mold around an athlete’s teeth for a tight yet comfortable fit before being placed back into their mouth for easy usage.

Many mouth guards available at sporting goods stores don’t compare to custom-fitted mouthguards crafted by your dentist. Your dentist uses putty on a tray to take an impression or mold of your teeth and deliver your new mouthguard within about a week – often sooner!

Boil-and-bite mouthguards may provide an economical and straightforward option for protecting your teeth and gums while playing sports, but they may not be ideal if you suffer from teeth grinding (bruxism). A poorly fitting or bulky mouthguard could increase pressure on the jawbone; in contrast, custom fitted guards will alleviate tension by creating more space between top and bottom teeth to decrease clenching and reduce pressure buildup.

An inexpensive over-the-counter mouthguard may also pose risks to your dental health. Bulky and improper fitting designs of over-the-counter mouthguards may exacerbate conditions like gum disease, inflammation or age-related dental work,” according to Dr. Sibel. Furthermore, such guards can irritate soft tissues of your mouth and make breathing difficult – this could hinder performance during sports or other strenuous activities.

Important to keep in mind is the possibility of melt-and-bite mouthguards damaging cookware by placing them directly in boiling water, so always follow manufacturer’s instructions when using boil-and-bite mouthguards.

The highest-rated boil-and-bite mouthguards are built to last and offer maximum comfort during use. Some even include cleaning kits to keep it hygienic; moreover, these guards usually feature strong seals to prevent any slipping or falling out during activity.

Teeth Grinding

Teeth grinding, or bruxism, is a common problem that can lead to jaw soreness, headaches, loose teeth and damaged dental work. While no cure exists for bruxism, dentists can prescribe mouthguards to reduce teeth clenching and grinding during nocturnal bruxism (where someone grinds their teeth throughout the night while sleeping), often due to stress, misalignment of their teeth or allergies – or medication such as antidepressants. While no definitive solutions exist for treating this condition (nocturnal bruxism), dentists can prescribe mouthguards in such cases so it reduces teeth clenching/grinding during night-time; dentists can prescribe mouthguards as one treatment option if necessary to alleviate symptoms caused by this disorder (nocturnal bruxism). While no definitive treatments exist yet for treating this disorder nocturnally by night time teeth grinding/clenching/grinding during sleep time due to stress/misalignments/allergies/antidepressant medications taken etc). Antidepressants medications could potentially trigger this disorder; similar remedies could reduce or mitigate its severity or use can provide temporary relief by wearing protective mouth guards from wearing antidepressant drugs which may allow nocturnal bruxism while sleeping pills clench/grinding/grinding.

Many mouthguards designed to treat bruxism exist, yet not all are equal. For maximum effectiveness, look for ones which are comfortable and easy to fit, made from flexible material like silicone that does not contain BPA, latex or any other toxic materials; designed specifically to minimize discomfort while bearing the pressure of grinding, chewing or talking.

NEOMEN Health offers a custom fit mouthguard designed to be moldable for optimal protection from bruxism. Composed of biodegradable, flexible polymer that redirects force into crumple zones to relieve pain and sensitivity associated with teeth grinding or clenching, the NEOMEN Health mouthguard comes in different sizes with 30-day money back guarantees from its company.

Sporting Smiles Soft Dental Night Guard is another top pick, designed to prevent bruxism and safeguard dental work and your teeth. Crafted with dentist-grade materials that are BPA, silicone latex and phthalate free – not to mention it comes with a three-year warranty!

SleepRight Dura-Comfort Dental Guard is another effective solution to combating bruxism, an increasingly prevalent issue among both adults and children alike. BPA- and latex-free, it can be fitted quickly using body heat. Plus, its bite pads feature swivel capabilities for easier a perfect bite angle matchup along with stability wings for additional support.

An essential piece of equipment for anyone participating in physical activities, particularly contact sports. A mouthguard may also assist with medical conditions like bruxism and snoring.