Patients Who May Benefit from a Custom Dental Mouth Guard

Posted 03/26/2021

A large part of Dr. Keith Kelley’s dental practice is dedicated to general dentistry treatments that preserve and protect a patient’s overall oral health. These services are primarily geared toward protective measures that can help to prevent moderate to advanced oral health problems that would require restorative dental treatments. One dental tool that is used by Dr. Kelley is dental mouth guards. When Dr. Kelley recommends the use of a dental mouth guard, many patients are initially surprised, as most are not familiar with the many uses and benefits that a mouth guard can offer. Because of the wide range of uses, many of our Troy patients are ideal mouth guard candidates.

Uses of Dental Mouth Guards

A large group of our patients can benefit from a mouth guard, because there are such a variety of uses for these appliances. Below are some common uses of our custom-fit mouth guards:

• Protecting the teeth from injury: A dental mouth guard offers a kind of cushion around the teeth so that they are protected from injury in the event of a fall, accident, or traumatic blow to the head or face. Not only do mouth guards protect the teeth, but they can also protect the tongue and soft tissues of the mouth, and have been shown to reduce the severity of head injuries as well.
• Aligning the jaw: When a mouth guard is in place, it helps to hold the teeth and jaw in proper alignment. This allows the muscles of the face and jaw to relax comfortably and helps to ensure that a patient’s airway stays unobstructed.
• Preventing clenching and grinding: For many patients clenching and grinding is an unconscious habit that occurs while a patient sleeps. This habit is extremely harmful to the teeth and can cause a significant amount of structural damage, and has also been linked to TMJ disorder. A mouth guard acts as a barrier between the teeth and prevents the teeth from rubbing or pushing against each other.

Mouth Guard Candidates

When patients learn that a mouth guard can help to keep the mouth properly aligned, protect against injury, and aid in the prevention of harmful oral habits, many are interested to learn if they are good candidates for a custom mouth guard. In many cases the answer is “yes.” Below are just some patients who can benefit from wearing a mouth guard:

• Athletes
• Patients who perform fitness workouts at home or the gym
• Patients who suffer from grinding and clenching (Bruxism)
• Patients who suffer from TMJ disorder
• Patients who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea

For any of the above patients, the use of a dental mouth guard can alleviate the pain or discomfort of oral/general health problems, protect the teeth from unnecessary damage, and help to prevent the need for costly restorative dental treatments.

Schedule an Appointment

If you believe that a dental mouth guard may be right for you and you are interested in learning about the benefits of custom appliances offered by Dr. Keith Kelley, schedule an appointment at your earliest convenience. We look forward to hearing from you!

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