Protecting your smile, dental work, and health with custom mouthguards
Mouthguards are a powerful category of treatment at Ferrari Dental in Montville, New Jersey. Dr. Jon Ferrari designs personalized oral devices to safeguard your teeth and surrounding tissues from injuries sustained during sports, as well as from the effects of teeth grinding and other related concerns.
How do mouthguards work?
These are devices designed to slip easily over your teeth. You can effortlessly remove them. When designed and made by dental professionals, these devices are strong and properly shield your teeth from trauma and impacts that can lead to significant damage to the teeth, gums, and other oral tissues.
Why do I need a mouthguard for sports?
Sports guards are generally recommended for children and other individuals who participate in contact sports. These sports include hockey, football, basketball, and boxing. They are also a good idea if you engage in activities with a high risk of falls or facial impacts, such as skateboarding. These guards function as cushions to ease the blow to the face, thereby minimizing the risk of a tooth getting cracked or knocked out. Sports mouthguards also help to reduce injuries to the cheeks, tongue, lips, and other soft tissues.
How do mouthguards treat teeth grinding?
Mouthguards prevent complications from teeth grinding. These appliances are known as “night guards,” because many people who grind their teeth do so at night, while they are sleeping. The force from habitually grinding the teeth can be so great that it chips or cracks the teeth and wears down the gums and bone around the tooth roots. By inserting the night guard before you go to bed, your teeth are protected. There is a strong material that prevents contact between the teeth.
Do you use mouthguards for other conditions as well?
Yes! Oral appliance therapy is also suitable for conditions such as temporomandibular joint disorders. TMJDs often accompany teeth grinding or bruxism. Certain types of oral appliances are made specifically for individuals with bruxism and TMJD symptoms. By cushioning the teeth and oral structures from the often intense blow associated with bruxism, our patients have experienced improvements in chronic headaches, jaw stiffness, pain, and other symptoms.
We may also design appliances, such as mandibular advancement devices. These devices advance or bring the mandible (lower jaw) forward. In doing so, they reposition the tissues in the throat that contribute to snoring and sleep apnea. When these tissues become lax during sleep, they can block the airway and also cause the vibrations that produce the characteristic snoring sound. With these tissues out of the way, you breathe comfortably, quietly, safely, and uninterrupted throughout the night.
Why should I choose mouthguards at Ferrari Dental?
Unlike the mouthguards you buy at the store or online, ours are perfectly custom-fitted to your mouth. This custom fit ensures both your comfort and the effectiveness of the device. It can “work” as intended. They are a good value, too, because the materials we use are far stronger than those found at the drugstore. To protect your smile, existing dental work, and health, call (973) 263-2967 and schedule your appointment in Montville, NJ today.
