If you’re an avid hockey player, you know how important it is to wear a protective mouthguard while playing on the ice. These guards protect your teeth from the impact of hitting the boards or the puck. They can also protect your jaw from breaking if you fall and hit your chin against the ice.
Custom-fitted teeth guards are often recommended for avid players because they can be moulded to fit snugly against your teeth, making them even more protective than store-bought guards. In this blog, we’ll review these great advantages.
Teeth Night Guard Lab is a dental lab that specializes in creating custom night guards. We get a lot of questions about ordering custom teeth guards online, so we’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions and answers to help you make an informed decision when it comes to purchasing your custom teeth guard.
Table of Contents
What are Custom Teeth Guards?
In dental terminology, a teeth guard is called a nightguard. It is essentially an adhesive mouthpiece that fills in for your teeth at night and protects them from nighttime teeth grinding.
Teeth grinding can cause both short-term and long-term damage to your teeth: when you grind or clench your teeth during sleep, it can lead to headaches, sore jaws, facial tenderness or muscle pain, and even jaw joint problems. It can also cause cracks in your teeth, loosen fillings and wear down tooth enamel over time.
A custom-fitted nightguard may be able to help protect against these issues by preventing your teeth from touching each other while you sleep.
How to Get Your Custom Mouth Guard to Fit Properly?
It’s crucial to take a few extra minutes to ensure your mouth guard fits well. How you bite down is different from person to person, and getting it right will prevent discomfort and injury. The following tips can help you avoid problems and troubleshoot if they occur.
- Use compressed air to remove all of your saliva from your mouth, which can interfere with a good fit. If you don’t have access to compressed air, you can use a towel or rag to wipe your mouth dry.
- Ensure that your teeth are clean and free of food particles before placing them in your mouth guard moulding tray.
- When biting down on the moulding tray, make sure that it is as far back in your mouth as possible—this will ensure that it doesn’t slip out while playing sports or exercising.
- While biting down, make sure that your lips are closed and not pressing your tongue against your teeth or gums.
- Don’t bite down too hard—this can cause pain and damage to your mouth guard, which will affect its ability to protect you from injury during a game or workout session.
Who Needs a Custom Teeth Guard?
It’s no secret that sports—particularly contact sports—damage our teeth. While helmets and mouthguards provide some protection from flying objects, they won’t protect you from a direct blow to your teeth. That’s where custom teeth guards come in. These are specially designed for your teeth and can be molded directly to your bite.
Also, custom guards are a great option if you grind your teeth at night (bruxism). They’re much more comfortable than typical night guards and can be made to fit your bite perfectly. Plus, they’re removable—meaning you can eat and drink while wearing them.
How Do I Fit Them?
It’s important to make sure your custom mouthguards fit well. They could press against your teeth or gums and cause pain if they’re too tight. If they’re too loose, you won’t get as much protection from them.
The best way to test for a good fit is by biting down on them—if they move around in your mouth when you do so, they don’t fit properly. You should also be able to talk with your custom-fitted mouth guard easily. You might need to try a few different sizes before finding one that fits comfortably without feeling bulky or causing any pain in your jaw area.
How Do I Get My Custom Teeth Guard?
You’ll receive custom-fit impression kits in your package with detailed instructions on how to take a set of impressions. After you’ve taken your impressions, return them to us in your prepaid envelope, and we’ll make and ship your custom teeth guards within 5-7 business days. If you have any questions, be sure to contact our team directly so we can walk you through them.
Will A Teeth Guard Affect My Sleep?
Some teeth guards can take a little getting used to and might cause you to snore or drool more than usual. Don’t worry, though; your body will quickly adjust. In fact, after a few nights of wearing them, you might notice you sleep better than ever before.
Are There Different Types of Custom Teeth Guards?
There are many different types of custom-fit teeth guards out there. The most common type is a mouth guard worn over your upper or lower teeth to protect against injury from sports and other activities. They’re also used to treat TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders and prevent snoring.
Another type of custom-made teeth guard is a bite splint, which protects your gums from injury during orthodontic treatment, such as braces or Invisalign.
What Are Mouth Guards Made Of?
Dentists may offer custom-made mouthguards from various materials, but most are made from either plastic or a combination of rubber and plastic. Regardless of what material is used, it’s important to note that all mouthguards should be fitted for maximum comfort and protection.
To Sum It Up
It’s always a good idea to talk with your dentist before ordering custom teeth guards. Get their advice on proper fit and whether you should wear them while playing sports or during other activities where they may be at risk of getting damaged. If you follow their suggestions, you’ll be able to enjoy all of your favorite activities—without worrying about your teeth.
