Mouth Guards

Protect your teeth from damage caused by tooth grinding or sports injury with a custom-fitted mouth guard.

Creation of a mouth guard begins with an impression and mold of your teeth, from which the mouth guard is made. This guarantees a snug and exact fit for your bite to ensure that your mouth guard will stay in place during sleep or energetic exertion. Mouth guards are generally created as a slip-on clear thermoplastic tray for your upper teeth, although a lower mouth guard can be fashioned if necessary.

Since everyone’s mouth varies in size and shape, a commercially-bought, one-size-fits-all mouth guard cannot guarantee either fit or comfort. They are often thicker and bulkier than a custom mouth guard, may create difficulty with breathing or speaking, and could shift teeth out of alignment.

Night Guard

Many people unconsciously grind their teeth (bruxism). While this may be a bad habit while you’re awake, it can be much more of problem while you are asleep. Grinding of the teeth can wear down the enamel, causing the teeth to become shorter or crack, and can irritate the gums.

Wearing a custom night guard can prevent damage to your teeth by acting as a barrier between the top and bottom teeth. A custom night guard cushions the bite to prevent teeth from touching and can also help to prevent pain caused by clenching the jaw.

Sports Mouth Guard

A sports mouth guard is used by children and adults to protect the teeth, gums and supporting tissue, of the mouth from injury and damage while practicing or playing sports. In certain sports, like football and hockey you expect to wear a mouth guard, however, for noncontact and recreational sports like skateboarding, martial arts or biking, a sports mouth guard should also be worn.

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), approximately 200,000 sports injuries are prevented yearly by the wearing of a mouth guard. Not wearing a mouth guard can result in a cracked or broken tooth, or a tooth becoming knocked out. With a strong upward impact, a tooth could become forced upwards into the gum or could pierce the lip or cheek.

If you have questions about mouth guards or would like us to create one for you, please contact us at 703-390-9191 to schedule your appointment.