What are custom mouth guards?
A custom fitted mouth guard is fabricated in our dental laboratory. We take a mold of the teeth and then send it to our laboratory with a prescription, or instructions on what to make.
There are three types of custom mouth guards that we make. The most common type, is a night guard that is worn at night to protect the teeth from wear, due to clenching and grinding. Another type is a sports mouth guard that is used to protect the teeth from trauma while playing sports. And, the last type of custom mouth guard is a snore guard, which is worn at night to prevent snoring, by repositioning the jaw, and opening the airway.
Night Guards
Custom fabricated night guards
Custom night guards are mouth guards that are worn at night, that are made in a dental laboratory. They are fabricated based on a mold that we take of the mouth, and a prescription with specific instructions that we send to the laboratory.
What are custom night guards used for?
There are two main reasons to wear a custom nightguard. They are to prevent damage to the teeth and jaw joint when clenching grinding, and to treat a TMJ disorder.
The most common reason is to prevent trauma to the teeth and jaw joints, due to clenching or grinding at night. A person that clenches or grinds their teeth at night can cause trauma to the teeth and jaw joints. Clenching and grinding of the teeth can put more load on the teeth and jaw joint than they are able to handle. This can cause wearing away of the tooth enamel, and can also result in chips, fractures and cracks of the teeth. This load can also cause damage to existing tooth restorations, such as dental fillings and dental crowns. The excessive load can also cause pain to the jaw joint due causing a TMJ disorder. A night guard is able to protect the teeth and jaw joints from this kind of damage.
The other main reason to wear a custom night guard is to treat an existing TMJ disorder. A custom fitted a night guard may be able to relieve some of the pain and other symptoms associated with TMJ disorder.
What causes a patient to clench or grind their teeth?
Stress or anxiety
Unbalanced bite
Mal-aligned teeth
Missing teeth
Sleep apnea
Airway obstruction
Is a custom night guard worn on the upper teeth or on the lower teeth?
A custom night guard may be worn on the upper teeth or the lower teeth, but not both. Our dentists at Gustavo Dental Implant Centre will decide which one is appropriate for each patient.
What is involved in making a custom night guard?
The first step in fabricating a custom night guard is to take a mold of the patient’s teeth. This mold is then sent to our dental laboratory with a prescription with specific instructions on how to make the night guard. Each custom night guard is different and fabricated to specifications unique to each patient specific needs. The night guard is then fabricated out of a BPA-free, heat molded material. This produces a mouth guard that fits to the exact shape of our patients’ teeth. We then have our patients return to fit and adjust the night guard. During our evaluation of the night guard, we ensure that there is even load on both jaw joints, and that the bite is even everywhere. We then adjust the nightguard accordingly. Once the nightguard is fitted and adjusted, you will get instructions for the care and use of your night guard. You will be instructed to wear your night guard every night. You will also be instructed to bring your night guard with you to our office during your normal dental checkup and teeth cleaning appointments for re-evaluation.