Archive for June, 2010

 

            What is a sports mouth guard and what is the importance?  A mouth guard is a piece of plastic placed in your mouth to protect your teeth from injury during athletic activity.  There are three different types of mouth guards; stock, boil and bite, and one that is made by your dentist. 

                        The first form of mouth guards, the stock guard, can be bought at most sports equipment stores, and can be worn right away.  This is the least comfortable because of the universal size and bite, and can cause very painful sores in the mouth and does not always offer the best protection on an individual basis.  These are normally not recommended for individuals with braces. 

            The second and slightly better option is the “Boil and Bite” mouth guards.  These offer a slightly better fit, because you mold the guard to your specific bite, but it is not always an exact fit.  The length of the guard may still be too large for some mouths, and can be uncomfortable if you do not bite hard enough on initial placement.

            The third and best option for a sports mouth guard is one that is created at a dental laboratory and fitted to exactly your mouth.  This offers the most protection and comfort.  Your dentist will take an impression of your mouth and those are sent to lab, just for you.

            Mouth guards should last, and proper care should entail brushing the guard and it should be placed in a ventilated hard case so that air may go through and no bacteria can grow.

Medical Reasons For Braces

            A common misconception for braces is that they are purely cosmetic.  This very untrue, in fact there are many different health reasons for orthodontics.  The primary function of braces is to move teeth to the best possible alignment, or in dental terms, occlusion.  An off bite, can lead to many oral health problems, including jaw pain.  Malocclusion is the term used to discuss the relationship between the upper and lower teeth.  Your orthodontist will mention of three classifications as defined by the Angles Classification Method: class 1, is an ideal relationship between upper and lower bite, Class II is more commonly known as an “overbite”, which occurs when your upper teeth protrude over your lower, Class III, is also known as an “under bite” is when the patient’s lower jaw is protruding the upper teeth.  Any of these classes can require orthodontia help, because of the further problem with crowding and spacing.  Crowding causes teeth to overlap, flip, rotate, or grow in the wrong position of the mouth.  This can be a problem because it can make brushing and flossing difficult, leading to tooth decay, or periodontal problems. 

            Children should see the orthodontist at around age seven, to catch any future problems that may arise, but it is not limited to just children, adults can benefit as well.  Orthodontia has been known to help correct numerous conditions, including : speech impediments, jaw or TMJ pain, difficulty chewing and eating, sleep apnea, grinding and clenching, and gum disease and tooth decay.