Mouthguards are essential for you or your child playing any contact sports. These include soccer, basketball, and football — any sport that makes you come into contact with other people. Custom mouthguards are also essential for patients who suffer from TMJ disorders or grind their teeth at night.
Custom mouthguards are a general dentistry service we provide in our office. Each mouthguard we make is custom and unique to fit your smile perfectly. We dedicate ourselves to providing the perfect solution for your dental problems. Unlike store-bought mouthguards, you get a comfortable mouthguard that you know you can rely on.
Getting Custom Mouthguards in Garland, TX
The mouthguard process starts with getting detailed impressions of your teeth. We send these impressions to the lab so that they can use them to custom-make your mouthguard. When the guard is ready, we return you to our office to ensure it fits properly. The dentist examines the fit of the mouthguard and ensures that you’re comfortable and that it’ll meet all your needs. We make small adjustments if needed so that it fits perfectly.
Professional Vs. Store-Bought Mouthguards
Over-the-counter mouthguards claim that they’re one-size-fits-all. Customizable store-bought guards include the boil-and-bite process. You boil the guard to heat the material, biting into it so that it forms to your teeth. However, they have to make a product that they can market to a wide variety of people. There’s only so much customizing you can do. This results in an ill-fitting mouthguard prone to falling out or requiring you to clench your teeth the entire time to keep it in.
When you clench your teeth for long periods, it causes stress and tension throughout the jaw and facial muscles. Having to clench your mouth throughout sports games and practice sessions causes this over time. Your jaw joint breaks down, and you may experience popping and clicking when you move your jaw, pain, and tension throughout the face and head, or inability to move your jaw in certain ways. It can also get stuck in positions.
Many contact sports require you to keep your mouthguard throughout the entire game or match. If your mouthguard doesn’t fit properly, it may fall out if you try communicating with your teammates. If you have to keep your jaw clenched to keep it in, it will fall out the instant you open your mouth to say something. It also makes getting a quick drink of water difficult, as you have to take out the guard.
A custom, professionally-made mouthguard fits perfectly in your mouth. It’s tight enough to stay in your mouth without clenching but not to the point where it’s uncomfortable. You can easily communicate with your team and comfortably play your sport.
Sports Vs. TMJ Mouthguards
If you have a mouthguard for one thing, it’s tempting to try and use it for multiple issues. However, never use your mouthguard for anything other than their intended use. We use very different materials to make these guards because they’re designed for certain purposes.
Sports mouthguards are light and bulky, designed to absorb shocks. When you take a hit, the impact of it is spread out and cushioned by the guard. If you try to use it to protect your teeth from grinding at night, your teeth will just cut through the material. It renders the guard unusable for its true purpose and can damage your teeth, too.
TMJ/teeth grinding mouthguards are thinner plastic that fits close to your teeth. It’s a hard material for your grinding teeth to damage. However, it won’t protect your mouth from trauma or hits. It doesn’t offer much more protection than playing contact sports without a mouthguard.
Schedule a Consultation for a Custom Mouthguard
If you play contact sports or grind your teeth at night, a custom mouthguard can help protect your smile. Call us or schedule an appointment online to get started.