There are two main types of mouth guards - store bought or custom made. A store bought guard can either be used right out of the box or a 'boil-and-bite' type, which can be slightly customized at home. While store bought guards can serve their purpose, they are often not as comfortable or as effective as a guard that is custom made. They are also not appropriate for treating sleep apnea.
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A custom made guard is molded specifically to each individual mouth. Our Lone Peak Dental team will take custom dental impressions of your teeth, then they will be sent to a special dental lab to create the guard that fits the anatomy of your teeth. Since a custom guard is designed to fit more closely to the shape of your mouth and teeth, they offer more comfort and are more effective against sports-related dental trauma.
If you find yourself waking up frequently with sore teeth, headaches, and jaw pain, call Lone Peak Dental. We can help come up with a custom solution to help keep your teeth protected and give you a better night's sleep!
Mouth Guards
Mouth guards are protective dental appliances that are designed to protect tooth damage. A dentist may recommend a mouth guard for a variety of reasons, such as:
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- Teeth grinding - a mouth guard can help protect your teeth from the effects of grinding and clenching. Oftentimes, people are unaware they are grinding or clenching their teeth during sleep. This can lead to damaged teeth, interrupted sleep, jaw pain, and headaches if not properly addressed.
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- Snoring and sleep apnea - people with chronic snoring or obstructive sleep apnea may benefit from a custom mouth guard. This type of appliance shifts and repositions your jaw to open your airway during sleep.
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- Sport Guard - wearing a mouth guard (also referred to as a sports guard) during sports can help protect the mouth from injury. If you play sports like boxing, wrestling, soccer, basketball, hockey, or football, a custom mouth guard can greatly reduce your risk for chipped or knocked out teeth and damage to the gums.
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- TMJ Dysfunction - these are conditions affecting your jaw joints and surrounding muscles and ligaments. Your TMJs (temporomandibular joints) connect your lower jawbone on either side to your skull and help with jaw movements, like speaking and chewing. TMJ symptoms vary widely and may include: jaw pain and stiffness, difficulty opening and closing your mouth, have jaw popping or clicking, or feel a difference in the way your teeth fit together.
Custom vs Store-Bought
