Mouthguards and Splints
Mouthguards and splints are important to prevent damage to your teeth during sports, or treat damage caused by teeth grinding as you sleep.
Mouthguards
Mouthguards are often used to prevent or minimise mouth-related sports injuries.
There are many over-the-counter mouthguard brands; however, they are not custom-fitted for the wearer, so they’re not reliable and may even damage the teeth further.
The Australian Dental Association strongly recommends wearing a custom-fitted mouthguard. Our expert dental professionals will take the necessary measurements to make sure your mouthguard fits perfectly for you.
Note: A mouthguard is not made for use while sleeping. It covers the teeth and gums, so it can trap bacteria for hours at a time. You would need a nightguard or occlusal splint for sleeping.
Nightguards and splints
A nightguard or occlusal splint is a removable acrylic device that is moulded to fit the lower and/or upper arches of your teeth. Wearing this device at night can reduce the pressure on your teeth and arches if you suffer from teeth grinding and clenching (bruxism).
Chronic teeth grinding can result in crack, loosening, or loss of teeth, and severely damage your teeth and gums. The chronic grinding may wear teeth down to stumps. When these events happens, implants, root canals, implants or partial dentures, and even complete dentures may be needed.
They can also cause temporomandibular joint or TMJ disorder, a condition that affects jaw joints, muscles and ligaments. Symptoms include jaw tenderness, headaches, earaches and facial pain.
As with mouth guards, your splint must be custom-fitted to your mouth to give you the most benefit.
Teeth Grinding
Teeth Grinding (also known as Bruxism) Why Do People Grind Their Teeth? While teeth grinding can be caused by stress or anxiety, it often occurs during when you sleep, and is more likely caused by an irregular bite or missing or cracked tooth. It can also be caused by a sleeping disorder such as sleep apnea.
In our recent blog article, you can read more about the dangers of bruxism or teeth grinding.
