Protect Your Smile With Our Custom Mouthguards
December 11, 2019
You can easily buy a mouthguard at any sporting goods or big box store, but your Kansas City, MO, dentist offers something better: a custom mouthguard. Created specifically for a patient’s smile, they can offer a host of benefits and even treat jaw joint disorders, such as bruxism. Should you and your kids try one?
Preventing Damaged Teeth
Why should you wear one? When you play sports, practice martial arts, or enjoy other activities in which your smile could sustain an injury, this leads to an increased risk of cracked, chipped, or even avulsed (knocked-out) teeth. However, wearing a mouthguard provides layers of protection for your teeth, limiting the chances of injury and reducing overall damage. While a boil-and-bite option from a store is helpful, a truly effective option is one created specifically for your smile. When you or your child see us, we will take detailed impressions and measurements of your smile, creating an oral appliance that fits comfortably and provides a more substantial degree of protection. After all, a custom mouthguard is always more affordable than a broken or lost tooth!
Treating Bruxism and Other Issues
Our mouthguards are not just limited to preventing damage when adults and kid play sports. In fact, we can use them to provide treatment for common jaw joints disorders. TMJ disorder occurs when our jaw joints undergo excessive strain, and bruxism is a disorder often caused by stress that causes us to grind our teeth at night on a regular basis. These issues are linked to headaches, jaw pain, damaged teeth, and other serious complications. Our oral appliances are worn at night to help reposition the jaw and ease the pressure on the joints. They even limit the risk of damage due to teeth grinding by placing a barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth.
Don’t Ignore Chips or Fractures!
What if your tooth does become injured? Well, even if the damage appears very minor, please see us for a routine exam. After all, even small cracks and chips could potentially expose inner structure to bacteria, leading to cavities and infection over time. You may be surprised to find that we can often repair damage in one visit with treatments like dental bonding and contouring. If you have any questions about our protective oral appliances, or if you have recently chipped a tooth, then please let us know so we can help you enjoy optimal oral health!
Do You Have Questions About Our Oral Appliances?
Our team is ready to help protect smiles of all ages from damage and complications, such as tooth decay and dental infection. To learn more about our approach to preventive dentistry, then please schedule a consultation by calling Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry of Kansas City, MO, today at 816-427-4018.