Sports guards or mouth guards are a sturdy but resilient plastic material appliance which is worn in your mouth covering your gums and teeth either when you are playing a contact sport or during sleep to help protect your mouth and teeth.
What most people do not realise is that they could be a heavy bruxer (grind your teeth) which a lot of us do and are completely unaware of as this usually happens at night whilst we are a sleep or we are stressed or anxious about something. Bruxing can have a detrimental effect on our mouth and especially are teeth as we can ground our teeth down even to the extent of breaking our teeth which could lead to the tooth/teeth be unsalvageable. Teeth can become very sensitive and tender causing a lot of discomfort. We all want that perfect smile and some of us will have gone through a lot of dental treatment to perfect that perfect smile. With a simple device called a mouth guard or you may have heard your dentist call it a splint, wearing this appliance during your sleeping hours can help to ensure that this damage is prevented and can ensure that your teeth are well looked after. Wearing a mouth guard can help protect that perfect smile.
If you are someone who plays a lot of contact sports such as football, ruby or hockey or you are an athlete i.e. such as a boxer you would wear a sports guard over your teeth to protect you from any face or head injury to ensure that not only your teeth are protected but also your mouth. The American Dental Association recommends the use of a sports guards not only for the important games but whilst practicing also. Sports guards and Mouth guards help prevent injuries by cushioning blows to your lips, teeth and jaw when playing sports. A sports guard/mouth guard is the best protection against getting your teeth broken or knocked out. There are a few types of sport guards/mouth guards available however we would always recommend that you contact your dentist to ensure you have the correct one for you.
Preventing Dental Damage! You could either go for a:
Customized – this is when the sports guard/mouth guard is custom bespoke made by your dentist in their laboratory and is by far the most comfortable and best fitting as it is made especially for you. It maybe a little more expensive however in the long term it is usually the best way forward and the one which will last the longest.
Standard – this is when the sports guard/ mouth guard is a pre-formed guard and cannot be altered to fit a specific mouth therefore it is not an exact fit and most likely you will find that it could possibly interfere with your breathing and talking and will not fit over all of your mouth and teeth therefore increasing your risk of injury. It may be a little less expensive however in the long term you may find that it does not last very long.
If you find that a Sports Guard/Mouth Guard is something that would help you to protect your mouth and teeth then please do not hesitate to contact one of our team at the Marylebone Implant Centre either via our online Live Chat on our website at: www.maryleboneimplantcentre.co.uk or on 02034342934