Author: Familydentalcare_aDMeeN

Tooth loss is a common problem globally, affecting both children and adults. For adults, tooth loss is more impactful to dental health because adult teeth do not grow back once lost. Therefore, finding a way to replace your lost teeth sooner than later is the best approach once you lose your natural teeth. Thankfully, you do not have only one option to rely on for tooth replacement. At Family Dental Care – East Side Chicago, we offer our patients various alternatives. The two most-common tooth replacement solutions in dentistry are dental implants and dentures.

​Reasons for Tooth Replacement

Some of the reasons you need the help of a dentist near you to replace your lost teeth with either dentures or dental implants are:

1. To prevent gum recession
2. To prevent jawbone disintegration
3. To prevent shifting of teeth
4. To promote optimal mouth functioning – including chewing and speaking

What to Consider While Choosing Dental Implants VS. Dentures?

1. The number of teeth you are missing – dentists do not handle one missing tooth the same way as multiple missing teeth. If you have more than three missing teeth in a row, one way or another, you will require dentures. The case is not the same for patients with one missing tooth or multiple missing teeth spread out in their mouths. In the case of multiple missing teeth, you can still get dental implants. The only difference is that you will need dentures to cover the dental implants instead of a dental crown for each implant.
2. The time frame of procedure – when you have lost your natural teeth, the next best thing is to replace them as soon as possible. For a quick fix, dentures are better because implants require a long time before the treatment is complete.
3. Durability – how long would you like to have your artificial teeth? Other than getting a quick fix for your smile, you must also think ahead, considering the longevity of your artificial teeth. For such a situation, dental implants are far better than dentures since they can last you a lifetime without needing to replace them.
4. Nature of procedure – the dental protocols involved when getting dental implants are very different from those of getting dentures. With dental implants, surgery is necessary when installing the implant in the jawbone. The same does not apply to dentures, which only need customization to fit the measurements of your mouth. In that case, conservative patients are likely to opt for dentures over dental implants.
5. Ease of use – when you get artificial replacement teeth, you will feel odd for some time, whether with dentures or dental implants. Your goal, therefore, should be to select an oral appliance that will be easier to use without compromising the optimal functionality of your mouth. Dental implants are easier to use because they become one with your oral cavity. Besides, implants can hardly ever be ill-fitting.
6. Flexibility – once you get implants, you cannot remove them unless through surgery. Therefore, if you prefer a removable tooth replacement solution, you would be better off with dentures than dental implants.

​The Benefits of Implants

1. They are permanent – you do not have to worry about your teeth slipping off mid-conversations. Instead, implants are permanently secured in your jawbone, becoming one with your dental system.
2. Bio-compatibility – the metal that dentists in a dental implant clinic use to create implants does not cause allergic reactions. It is bio-compatible, which means it integrates naturally with the bone tissue of your jawbone.
3. Sturdiness – thanks to the metal for making tooth implants, they are very strong. Besides, the implant gets added support from the jawbone and gum tissue, closely mimicking the sturdiness of natural teeth.
4. Restoring the bone tissue and the facial framework – teeth play an important role in the general framework of your face. When you get dental implants, it overcomes bone degeneration and reinforces it. The result is a firmer, fuller, and more youthful look.

Aesthetic advantage – other than restoring your facial framework, dental implants are natural-looking. Dentists cover implant sites with dental crowns, which are tooth-colored to mimic the appearance of natural teeth.

When was the last time you visited a dentist voluntarily? The unfortunate fact in dentistry is that many patients only visit the dentist when they have a dental problem. Worse, most of them wait until they have severe symptoms indicating dental emergencies before visiting a dental clinic near them.

What Is Emergency Dentistry?

It is an area of dentistry that focuses on offering urgent medical attention to patients with severe and urgent oral problems. Emergency dentists near you exist, so you do not have to wait in line to see a dentist when you have an urgent oral problem.

How Will You Know You Have a Dental Emergency?

The line between a typical dental problem and a dental emergency is thin, making it difficult for many patients to differentiate them. As such, some of the pointers that are crucial for identifying an oral emergency are:

1. The severity of the problem
2. The intensity of your pain
3. The potential risk of the rest of your oral cavity
4. The degree of danger for both your oral and general body health

Once you can clear on the above factors, you can easily pinpoint a dental emergency. From there, you can identify the symptoms you have, which will also help indicate dental emergencies. Some of the symptoms patients have during dental emergencies include:

1. Severe dental pain – you may be able to point out the root cause of the pain, but it may not always be obvious. Dental pain can be due to a toothache, jaw pain, or even pain in your gums.
2. Bleeding – any type of bleeding in your mouth should be alarming. However, be more concerned if you have been bleeding for a prolonged period without healing. Bleeding can be a sign of gum disease, cancer, or an open wound on your mouth, all of which are dental emergencies.
3. Swelling – when something is wrong in any part of your body, swelling is one of the typical responses of your immune system. Any unusual swelling in your mouth should get your attention. Be more alarmed if the swelling keeps spreading to other parts of your face and upper body.
4. Crack, chip, or break on your tooth – while it could only translate to the damaged tooth structure, sometimes it can cause severe tooth pain and sensitivity due to nerve damage.
5. Jaw lock – occurs when you have a problem with the connective tissue of the jawbone. Your mouth will regularly get stuck on the open mouth position. You may also experience other symptoms like pain when you chew or move your jaw, as well as weird sounds in your ears when you use your mouth.
6. Affiliate body symptoms – while it may only be your ailing mouth, you may experience other symptoms in different parts of your body. Some of them include headaches, fatigue and muscle pain, sore throat, neck pain, to mention a few.

Common Dental Emergencies

At Family Dental Care – Calumet City, we have a list of potential oral emergencies that can help you figure out whether you need urgent care or not. The common dental emergencies in our dental clinics are:

1. Knocked-out tooth or a partially dislodged tooth
2. Fractured or broken jawbone
3. Damaged oral appliance – for orthodontic devices like braces. It can also occur for dental crowns and fixed dentures.
4. Severe toothache
5. Severe dental decay
6. Tooth abscess
7. Periodontitis – an advanced stage of gum disease
8. Objects stuck between your teeth
9. Loose or lost tooth filling – without urgent care, it could compromise the health of the initially treated tooth.

Benefits of Emergency Dentistry

In most cases, seeking emergency care for your urgent dental problem will be a voluntary action, especially where intense pain is involved. However, if you still need convincing that emergency dentistry is worthwhile, consider the following benefits:

1. Alleviating and treating pain – dentists for urgent oral problems do not only offer a temporary solution to your pain. Instead, they treat the root cause of your pain.
2. Saving your natural teeth – if you make it to an emergency dental facility in time, a dentist has the chance to save your knocked-out tooth.
3. Curbing progression of dental issues – unfortunately, in medicine, the longer you go untreated, the worse your condition gets. Emergency dentistry intervenes to ensure that your dental problem does not get worse than it already is.

When you visit a dentist near you, it is normal to feel slightly nervous over the kind of feedback you will receive after your dental exam. Still, it is not enough to only rely on your dental expectations as the determining factors for the dental procedures you expect for your treatment. You would be surprised at how much dental work can be achieved using just one oral appliance, for instance, a dental veneer.

What Are Dental Veneers?

They are tooth-shaped, tooth-colored shell-like appliances used in dentistry to restore teeth. Veneers are tooth-colored, typically made of porcelain materials, fashioned after the impressions of your natural teeth.

Many patients closely associate dental veneers with crowns because they are similar in some ways. They both work to restore the structure of teeth. However, crowns and veneers differ in the amount of coverage they offer your teeth. While dental crowns cover an entire tooth, dental veneers only go on the front surfaces of your teeth. This difference makes a major difference even in Howe porcelain veneers are installed.

Steps Involved in Getting Porcelain Veneers

Getting porcelain veneers at Family Dental Care is not a straightforward procedure, typical of dental bonding processes. The steps involved in getting veneers are:

• Numbing – although the procedure is not supposed to be painful, local anesthesia will be used to numb your mouth to eliminate any possible discomfort during your procedure. It is also a way to ensure you do not encounter heightened teeth sensitivity that may make you restless on the dentist’s chair.
• Preparing the enamel – involves calculated efforts to remove part of your tooth’s enamel. The trimming of your enamel is necessary to make room for the dental veneer. Only a small part of your enamel is removed, equivalent to the size of the dental veneer to be placed. At this stage, the dentist will also be shaping your tooth to match the dental plan he/she has in mind that will correct your dental problem.
• Taking impressions of your teeth – once the target teeth are ready, your dentist will take their impressions. These impressions are translated into a mold, used as a reference to create the dental veneers for your procedure. This step is crucial for traditional veneers that need to be taken to a dental laboratory to be created.
• Dental bonding – this part of the procedure may happen on a different dental visit, about two weeks after the initial steps. The process entails attaching the veneers to your teeth using special dental cement. After application, the dentist uses laser light to cure the dental cement, adhering the veneer teeth permanently to your natural teeth. Any excess spillage of dental cement is removed to ensure your veneer teeth have a similar luster as your natural teeth.

When Are Veneers Used?

It is not every day that a veneers’ dentist in 60409 recommends getting them for treatment. It is dependent on the condition of teeth relative to the dental expectations you have. Some of the areas where dental veneers prove useful are:

• Discolored teeth – more than just the general yellowing of teeth, some patients have stubborn stains on their teeth. The stains are often concentrated on just a few teeth in their mouth, particularly the front teeth. As an alternative for whitening your teeth, your dentist can recommend getting tooth veneers.
• Spaces between teeth – at Family Dental Care, we handle several patients who have small spaces between teeth. It is an orthodontic problem that would require wearing dental braces for several months to realign the teeth. However, we can offer dental veneers to help close small spaces between your teeth and beautify your smile.
• Cracks, chips, and breaks on teeth – after a dental accident, you can deform the structure of your tooth by racking it or have a chunk of your tooth broken. Such a tooth can be repaired and restored using a dental veneer.
• Unusually short teeth – have you ever wished that your front teeth would be a little longer than they are? With dental veneers, you are covered. Dental experts can use veneer teeth to elongate your teeth and make them look longer than they naturally are. This trick can even reduce the appearance of a gummy smile.
• Unusually shaped teeth – teeth contouring is a crucial concept in cosmetic dentistry that allows dentists to reshape weirdly shaped teeth, evening their appearances.

Root canal therapy is a dental procedure in endodontic dentistry done to save a tooth by treating the insides. Our dental team at Family Dental Care recommends root canal procedures to patients whose damaged teeth are not too structurally compromised to be salvaged.

What Does a Root Canal Treatment Entail? 

The process of root canal treatment entails accessing the internal layers of teeth, typically through the crown. A dentist starts by drilling the tooth to create an access hole, exposing the internal layers. With the primary focus being the root canal and pulp, the dentist will clean out the tooth. The cleaning process helps rid the tooth of all bacteria while removing the damaged soft tissues, including nerve endings. Once cleaned, the dentist will shape and fill the tooth accordingly, sealing out any room for re-entry of bacteria.

8 Useful Tips to Prepare for A Root Canal Treatment 

Instead of allowing anxiety to build up inside as you await your dental procedure, it should be the perfect time for you to learn a thing or two about what to expect and start preparing accordingly. Some tips to help you are:

1. Ask questions – whether you think you are nervous or not, you need to ask all the questions you have. A dental consultation is meant for that purpose. By asking questions, you can learn a lot about what to expect from your procedure. Better yet, get a clear perspective about what is and is not a misconception or myth regarding root canal procedures.
2. Do not consume alcohol – alcohol deteriorates your oral health, whether you are scheduled for dental treatment or not. When undergoing any intricate dental procedure, your dentist will recommend avoiding alcohol usage for about a week or longer in preparation for your treatment. You may continue to withhold yourself from taking alcohol a week or two after your treatment to allow ample time for your mouth to heal.
3. Avoid smoking – tobacco usage will work against your treatment, before and after. As you prepare for a root canal procedure, you must stop smoking for at least two weeks before the day of your procedure. Afterward, your dentist will recommend avoiding smoking and all tobacco usages for the first one or two weeks. For excellent oral health, however, it would be best to quit smoking altogether.
4. Eat a few hours before the procedure – once the dental works begin, you will not be able to eat for a couple of hours during and after your procedure. Besides, the numbing of your mouth necessary for observing a painless root canal procedure will limit you from eating anything you want, lest you accidentally bite or hurt your tongue or gums. Further, where sedation is employed, you should not have a full stomach, which is why you should eat a couple of hours before your procedure.
5. Get a good night’s rest both before and after your RCT – resting allows your body to concentrate on necessary processes in your body. Before your treatment, resting will ensure you remain calm and relaxed throughout the dental protocols for your treatment. Afterward, resting will help your body focus on speedy healing and recovery.
6. Take painkillers before the procedure – although it may not look like a logical move, it is not something dental experts advise against doing. Taking pain medication soon before your procedure is one great way to mitigate any discomfort that may occur during your treatment. It may also be helpful after your procedure, more so when the numbing effect wears off.
7. Talk to the dentist about antibiotics – your root canal specialist in Chicago should walk you through the kind of medication you should be taking before or after your procedure. Antibiotics are necessary for fighting infections in the body. As your mouth heals from your RCT, antibiotics will ensure that you don’t have an infection at the site. It will be much more necessary for endodontic procedures like apicoectomy that leave a wound on your gum tissue.
8. Prepare your ice packs – do this the night before your procedure. The ice packs will be helpful for cold compressing, which plays a big role in reducing swelling and soreness in your treated tooth.

Does the arrangement of your teeth bother you when you smile? Dental misalignment is a problem that can hurt your self-confidence for a long time. Not only that, but an improperly aligned smile affects your bite, which may compromise the optimal productivity of your oral cavity. Should you choose to consider treatments for realigning your teeth, you should know that you do not necessarily have to get metal braces. Instead, you can schedule an appointment with an Invisalign®️ dentist near you to learn whether it would work as a solution for straightening your teeth.

What Is Invisalign?

It is a type of teeth aligner used in orthodontic dentistry to straighten malpositioned teeth. Invisalign braces feature a tray of clear aligners made from a plastic-like material that goes over teeth. The initial fit of your first set of Invisalign braces is determined based on the impressions of your teeth. After the first dental appointment, your orthodontist will create a treatment plan that will determine the process and timeline of your teeth straightening procedure.

The fit of Invisalign braces is perfected enough to exert controlled pressure on your teeth continuously over a few weeks. After about six weeks, you will need to check back with your orthodontist to replace your aligners. Each set of aligners will shift your teeth gradually, directed by an orthodontist, based on the shape of the aligners. It will continue severally over your treatment period, so that it may take between 30 and 32 trays of Invisalign braces to complete your orthodontic treatment.

Time Frame to Straighten Teeth with Invisalign

Patients who visit our Invisalign dentists at Family Dental Care are well aware that treatments for straightening teeth take time to be completed. Using Invisalign to straighten your teeth is not any different. The braces will not work overnight in moving your teeth. Instead, it may take several months before your teeth are properly aligned to match the initial dental plan created at the beginning of your treatment.

Technically, orthodontic treatments with braces can last anywhere between 6 months to 24 months. It often depends on the complexity of the misalignment. Since Invisalign braces are commonly used for correcting mild misalignment, the treatment may not take more than 12 months before you can see the results of a straightened smile.

Benefits of Invisalign for Teeth Straightening

If you want to join the rest of the patients in orthodontic dentistry who opt for Invisalign braces over other teeth aligners, consider the following benefits:

1. They are virtually invisible – one of the primary reasons adults prefer to use Invisalign for teeth straightening is for the aesthetic benefits they present during treatment. The material used to make Invisalign aligners is transparent, warranting them being referred to as invisible teeth aligners as they are virtually invisible when you smile.
2. They are comfortable – compared to traditional metal braces, you are more likely to enjoy your orthodontic treatment experience with Invisalign aligners because of the material used. The plastic-like material is soft to your gums, which is much comfortable than metal wires and brackets over your teeth.
3. They are removable – if you want, you can remove your Invisalign braces when you need to. They are not permanently affixed to your teeth in that they can only be removed by an Invisalign dentist, as is the case with metal braces. Instead, you only need to account for up to between 20 and 22 hours of wear time every day.
4. They allow for proper oral hygiene – the freedom to remove your aligners as you please lets you brush and floss your teeth properly without worrying about damaging your aligners. Better yet, you get to keep your Invisalign braces clean throughout your treatment.

Summary

If you are considering orthodontic treatments, be aware that it will not entail a quick fix to your smile. Orthodontics focuses on the functionality of your mouth before the aesthetic aspect. However, although your treatment may take many months before it ends, you can still enjoy an aesthetically pleasing smile by opting for Invisalign braces over their counterparts for straightening and repositioning teeth.

Dental Implants are small screw-like titanium metal posts used in dentistry to replace missing teeth. Dental implants provide an aesthetically appealing permanent solution for replacing lost teeth. Instead of having dental bridges for just ten years and then replacing them, you can get affordable dental implants serving you for the rest of your life.

Why Dental Implants?

Other than longevity, tooth implants have become very popular over the years due to the following factors:

1. Stability – patients never need to worry about their artificial teeth falling off and causing a scene that would embarrass them. Dental implants are inserted into the jawbone and held in place by the gums. The result is a stable replacement tooth that has steady support, similar to your natural teeth.
2. Replacing both tooth roots and crowns – other tooth replacement solutions in dentistry replace only the crown of teeth. However, dental implants focus on functionality by replacing both the roots and crowns of teeth.
3. Sturdiness – although no artificial tooth rivals the sturdiness of natural teeth, dental implants come pretty close, given the material in use and the installation procedure.
4. Bio-compatibility – the reason for using titanium metal is that it is biocompatible, meaning that it integrates naturally with the bone tissue of your jawbone. Once your implant wound heals, the tooth implant becomes one with your jawbone. Patients never have to worry about implant rejection based on allergic reactions to the titanium metal.

Different Risk Factors Affecting Success of Dental Implants

Among the reasons tooth implants are very popular is that they have a high success rate, usually over 95%. Very few cases of implant failure are reported when patients resolve to get affordable dental implants near them. However, the high success rates do not cancel out the possibility of implant failure, which occurs due to some of the following risk factors:

1. Infection in the implant site – a tooth implant is installed through an intricate surgical procedure. Taking care of your wound after surgery is paramount to your quick healing and recovery. Since a typical implant wound takes about three months to heal completely, you must be conscious of the risk of infection to your wound. A dentist near you will always prescribe some antibiotics to help overcome any bacteria threatening the proper healing of your implant wound.
2. Osseointegration failure – refers to the failure of the implant to integrate seamlessly with the bone tissue of your jawbone. The success of dental implant procedures relies largely on the health of your bone tissue. It is why our dentists at Family Dental Care – Evergreen Park recommend bone grafting surgeries for several patients before they get dental implants. Unhealthy or thinned-out bone tissue works against your dental health by preventing osseointegration so that the implant is not secured and stable on your jawbone.
3. Periodontal diseases – if you are not intentional about keeping your mouth clean after getting tooth implants, gradually, you attract an infection in your periodontium. Periodontal diseases usually start by infecting the gum tissue. You may develop some mouth sores, and have swollen, tender, and reddened gums. However, as the infection progresses and spreads, it affects the bone tissue. It becomes risky when the bone tissue is infected if you have dental implants because it compromises the stability of your implants.
4. Teeth grinding – is a condition of grinding teeth against each other that often occurs at night during sleep. Although it is not a conscious choice, patients can significantly sabotage the success of their dental implant procedure through teeth grinding. Whether your wound has completely healed or not, grinding your teeth will place unnecessary pressure on both your natural teeth and tooth implant installed. The pressure may cause your implant to be unstable or deter the successful integration of a tooth implant with your jawbone.
5. Patient-related conditions – although there may be nothing wrong with the implantation procedure performed in a dentist’s office near you, some of your conditions may affect the success of your treatment. For some patients, the problem concerns their health, where conditions like diabetes can limit the success of their treatment. For others, however, the conditions in question are the lifestyle choices. For instance, a patient who smokes and drinks alcohol will not have the best chances of undergoing a successful dental implant procedure unless they avoid the drugs for longer than three months before and after their treatment.

What is Dental Bonding?

It is a dental procedure done to repair and restore the appearance of teeth. The procedure is mainly performed in cosmetic dentistry, improving the appearance of patients’ teeth in various aspects.

How is the Dental Bonding Procedure Done?

Dental bonding is among the short and easy procedures that dentists in 46321 perform. The steps involved in cosmetic dental bonding are:

1. Preparation – this part of the treatment is determined by the reason why you need your treatment. Usually, no sedation or numbing is necessary. You would only need to select the color of composite you prefer for your treatment.
2. Roughening teeth – an acidic solution is rubbed on your teeth by your cosmetic dentist. The solution roughens your enamel, preparing it for the bonding process.
3. Application – your dentist then applies the composite resin, usually in a putty-like state. The application step allows the dentist to mold the resin accordingly, befitting the shape suitable for repairing your tooth.
4. Hardening – our dental team at Family Dental Care uses laser light to speed up the hardening process. As the composite material hardens, it bonds to your teeth permanently.
5. Finishing – the dentist has to polish the tooth and remove any excess composite. The finishing stage will also ensure that the repaired tooth matches the glare and luster of natural teeth.

Do I Need Dental Bonding?

In cosmetic dentistry, anyone can benefit from the dental procedures offered. For teenagers and children, they need consent from parents. However, dental bonding will prove helpful for your smile if you have any of the following dental issues:

1. Stained teeth – dental bonding can drastically improve dental discoloration. The composite resin can be applied to the stained teeth to match the whiteness of the rest of your teeth.
2. Chipped, cracked, or broken teeth – you will not even notice the imperfections with the structure of your teeth after dental bonding.
3. Spaces between teeth – when used strategically, dental bonding can help close small spaces between teeth.
4. Unusually short teeth – can be due to developmental deformities, enamel erosion, or other factors.
5. Dental decay – dental bonding can be used as a tooth filling to treat oral cavities. They are a perfect alternative to silver fillings.

Why Is Dental Bonding So Popular?

If many people are praising something, then it must have several benefits. It is the case with dental bonding procedures that continue to amass popularity in cosmetic dentistry for some of the following benefits:

1. Non-invasive procedure – instead of removing part of your enamel, as is the case with dental crowns and veneers, dental bonding only requires roughening the surface of your teeth to promote adherence.
2. Quick fix – it takes very few minutes for a dentist to complete a dental bonding procedure for your tooth. Compared to alternative dental works necessary for correcting your dental flaws, dental bonding is a quick remedy.
3. Natural-looking – composite resins used for teeth bonding procedures are tooth-colored. It means that you can match the composite material to natural teeth. Therefore, all you need is to pick the shade of color you prefer for your restorative procedure.
4. Versatility – with just composite resin, a cosmic dentist near you can achieve various transformations in the appearance of your smile, fixing different flaws.

What Are the Downsides of Bonding?

No matter how many benefits treatment has, there are some downsides you need to be aware of before trying the procedure. For dental bonding, the downsides are:

1. They stain easily – if you do not keep up with proper oral hygiene, your bonded teeth may stain even more than your natural teeth.
2. They do not last forever – with proper care, you can sustain a perfect smile for up to 5 or 8 years before you need to repair your composites.

Does Tooth Bonding Require Any Special Care?

The composite material used for dental bonding is delicate, which is why you must handle it carefully to offer maximum benefits. Given some of the Downsides mentioned above, you can care for your bonded teeth by keeping them clean to avoid stains and watching what you eat to prevent breaking your newly repaired teeth.

Is Tooth Bonding Safe?

Over and above, dental bonding procedures are quick, easy, and safe dental processes for improving the appearance of teeth. Besides, if surgery is not involved, should you be too worried about your safety?

If you are a parent, you know a thing or two about taking extra precautions to prevent injuries. It is why people wear helmets and knee pads when riding bicycles or skateboarding. Like knee pads for the knees, mouthguards are protectors for the mouth, cushioning external force and trauma that may damage teeth and your jawbone.

What Are Mouthguards?

They are oral devices used as coverings or protectors for teeth. The role of mouthguards in dentistry is to protect teeth from the impact of injury that may damage them. Mouthguards also protect the jawbone. With a mouth protector, you can avoid various dental issues like:

1. Broken and cracked teeth
2. Knocked-out teeth
3. Broken jawbone
4. Enamel thinning

Although mouth protectors are commonly used by patients seeking to avoid dental injury, they are also made for countering some oral problems. For example, bruxism is a dental condition where patients grind their teeth, especially when sleeping. The condition can be so severe as to lead to other dental problems like enamel thinning and hypersensitivity. One of our dentists at Family Dental Care may recommend getting a mouth protector as treatment. For other patients, they need the appliance to combat temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). Depending on your dental problem, your dentist may suggest different types of mouthguards.

Different Types of Mouthguards

Mouthguards used in dental health do not all serve the same purpose. However, the primary goal of mouth protectors is to protect your teeth and jaw. Some types of mouthguards are used during the day, while others are particularly made for nighttime usage. The type of dental night guard or mouthguard you get solely depends on the prescription of your dentist. The different types available are:

1. Stock mouthguards – can be considered the most readily available mouth protectors found in drugstores and sporting goods stores near you. The mouthguards are pre-made, mostly covering the upper teeth only. They are availed in three size categories, that is, large, medium, and small. Although they are conveniently readily available, stock mouthguards do not offer a great fit. Some patients report difficulty in breathing and speaking when using these mouthguards because they are ill-fitting.
2. Boil and bite mouthguards – are among the most common types of mouth protectors in dentistry. They are also readily available on over-the-counter drugstores from local vendors, making them relatively inexpensive. These mouthguards are made in one standard size, featuring a thermoplastic material that allows you to adjust the size to fit your mouth. To use this mouthguard, you need to soak the appliance in hot water before placing it in your mouth. Using your tongue or finger, you can shape the mouthguard to snug your teeth as required.
3. Custom-fitted mouthguards – if you check with any dental experts in a dental clinic near you, these are the best oral devices to protect your teeth and jaw. Custom-fitted mouthguards are designed after the impressions of your teeth, taken in a dental clinic. Ideally, the mouthguards are for the specific purpose of protecting your mouth. For instance, the reason an athlete would require a mouth protector will be different from why a teenager with bruxism would need it. As such, both custom-fitted dental night guards and regular mouthguards are tailored to your particular dental needs.

Who Needs Mouthguards?

The best way to know whether you need a mouthguard is by visiting a dentist near you. After your consultation, you should have a clear picture of what it takes to treat your dental issues. Some of the groups of people likely to benefit from mouthguards are:

1. Sportspersons – especially those involved in high contact sports like boxing and wrestling
2. Patients with bruxism – teeth grinding is common among children and teenagers.
3. Kids during intense extra curriculum activities like gymnastics
4. If you are at a high risk of mouth injuries – for instance, people who drive racing cars, horse riders, to mention a few.

Summary

There is nothing particularly wrong with your choice of mouthguard. The most important thing is to ensure that your mouth is protected, especially if you must engage in risky activities that may harm your mouth. However, if you want the utmost protection for both your jaw and teeth, you will visit a dentist near you for custom-fitted mouth protectors.