Are You a Good Candidate for a Custom Mouthguard? By Eugene D. Stanislaus on September 29, 2014

Although the custom mouthguards crafted by our restorative dentistry practice have a diverse range of applications, they share two very important traits in common:

They protect the teeth and the mouth from harm.
They are significantly more comfortable and effective than their over-the-counter, boil-to-fit counterparts.

At the general, cosmetic and restorative dentistry practice of Dr. Eugene Stanislaus in Brooklyn, mouthguard candidates include a wide variety of patients, including athletes, people who suffer from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, and people who chronically grind or clench their teeth. In some cases, custom mouthguards are all that are needed to fulfill the needs of patients who turn to our practice. In other cases, they are part of a more comprehensive therapeutic plan. Whatever your dental needs and goals, you can count on Dr. Stanislaus and his team to provide you with a solution tailored precisely to you.

Candidacy for Mouthguards

The overriding purpose of a mouthguard is to protect the teeth from trauma and unnecessary wear. While custom mouthguards are certainly more expensive than the mouthguards you can purchase at nearly any drug store, they are also far more comfortable to wear and less likely to cause damage to the delicate soft tissues of the mouth. Plus, because they are custom fitted, they are more likely to keep the teeth from shifting out of their optimal position in the event of a particularly traumatic event, such as might occur during a football game or other contact sporting activity.

Athletes

Athletes who participate in contact sports such as football, boxing, hockey, and rugby are inherently at increased risk of injury. While broken bones will heal, chipped, cracked, and knocked-out teeth will not. A custom mouthguard will not only help to protect the teeth, but will also help to shield the mouth from cuts.

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder

Temporomandibular joint disorder, better known as TMJ disorder, involves the joints located directly in front of the ears on either side of the head. These joints connect the lower jaw to the skull and are essential to such fundamental tasks as speaking, eating, swallowing, yawning, and breathing through the mouth. TMJ disorders can result in a variety of undesirable symptoms, from jaw, facial, head, shoulder, and back pain to chronic migraines and hearing loss. While the underlying causes of TMJ disorder are usually multifaceted and complex, tooth grinding is often among them. Wearing a custom mouthguard at night, usually in conjunction with simultaneous therapies and lifestyle changes, can help to alleviate the symptoms of TMJ.

Tooth Grinding (Bruxism)

There are many possible causes of chronic tooth grinding, clinically known as bruxism. These include stress, malocclusion (problems with the bite), misalignment of the teeth, and frequent sleep disturbances. Whatever the underlying cause of tooth grinding, a custom mouthguard can help to reduce the adverse effects of bruxism on the teeth, especially among patients who grind their teeth in their sleep.