Custom Mouth Guards in Cincinnati
Celebrating over 90 Years of Creating lifelong relationships with our patients and their families.
We can provide you, or your children, with mouth guards that can serve to protect the teeth. You only get one set of permanent teeth, making it critical to take the steps necessary to preserve them. We always recommend starting by keeping your teeth healthy. When your teeth are free of decay or infection, they will be stronger and less likely to become damaged.
Keep in mind that while healthy teeth are less likely to become damaged, they still can be damaged by injury or normal wear and tear. Sometimes a night guard is used to protect teeth from grinding, or to protect teeth during sports activities. There are several types of mouth guards that you can wear to protect yourself from a sports-related dental injury. While you can buy a one-size-fits-all solution at the drugstore, there is always a risk that it will become loose and slip out of place when you need it most. You can also purchase a kit that requires you to boil the guard and then fit it to your teeth. This too, can be amateurish in how well it fits, simply because it was not professionally created. We recommend you visit us so that can take measurements and make an impression of your mouth. This way, a mouth guard can be created in the lab to the exact specifications of your teeth.
Why do people wear mouth guards?
Primarily, mouth guards are necessary when practicing or playing sports. Most people (especially adults) do not realize how common it is to sustain a face or mouth injury during a sports game. While certain sports like football are notorious for requiring players to wear guards, others, like basketball, are not. As a result, basketball players have a high rate of injury. In fact, according to the American Dental Association, the risk of sustaining an injury is 1.6 to 1.9 times higher when not wearing a mouth guard. Dental mouth guards are so effective at preventing injuries that the ADA estimates, 200,000 of them are prevented every year by wearing this small and simple device. If you are a Cincinnati parent looking to keep your child safe, getting them a mouth guard is an easy way to do so.
Reduce Sports Injuries with Mouth Guards
Playing on a sports team is a staple of any childhood from playing little league baseball to playing college football. Regardless of the sport, players will benefit from wearing the proper protection such as shin guards, shoulder pads, helmets, cleats and mouth guards. While most sports go over the necessary gear that the child will need to wear to each game, they may not require mouth guards. With that in mind, mouth guards can be the deciding factor that saves a child’s teeth.
Mouth Guards Prevent Injuries
If you want to protect your teeth from grinding at night, or during sport activities, give us a call to have a custom guard created for you.
Night Guards
If you are grinding your teeth at night, you need to wear a night guard. We believe in the value of preventative care, and night guards are one of the ways we can prevent you from damaging your teeth. Since you only get one set of permanent teeth, allowing them to be ground down is unwise. The discomfort you will suffer and the cost you will incur to repair your teeth is simply not worth skipping out on this easy, preventative measure. We know that not all of our Cincinnati patients enjoy the idea of wearing a guard, and we will not recommend doing so unless we are certain that it will be useful in solving your problems.
When you visit our office for mouth guards, we can create one that fits perfectly and is affordable. While you will pay more than what you would pay for an off-the-shelf guard, you will be getting better quality and a better fit at the same time. The difference is certainly worth it when it comes to protecting your teeth and saving money down the road.
Why do most people wear a night guard?
- Prevent damage. If you have paid to repair your teeth or have had cosmetic dentistry work done to improve your appearance, teeth grinding could reverse all that work. Even if your teeth have never needed repair, grinding can cause your teeth to chip, crack, or simply wear down. This translates into direct discomfort as the teeth flatten, and your dentin or nerves could become exposed. This can lead to feelings of sensitivity when you eat or drink. If this type of damage continues, you could end up with gum recession and even loose teeth. If you use a night guard, your upper and lower teeth will be unable to grind against each other and the potential damage will be avoided.
- Ease discomfort.
Nighttime teeth grinding can cause severe headaches and tooth pain in the morning. If you are regularly waking up in pain or feeling uncomfortable, this can be a sign that you need to wear a guard while sleeping. We have found that many of our patients feel significantly better after wearing their guard for just a few days. The key is to continue wearing it every night. While some grinding is caused by stress or tension, there is no way to tell exactly what causes people to grind their teeth or to stop the body from attempting it. This is why continued use of the guard is necessary. - Treating TMJ.
Severe grinding or jaw clenching can lead to TMJ disorder. This can be incredibly uncomfortable, typically starting as a sore jaw in the morning with the occasional headache. If you experience these symptoms or have face pain, neck pain, or your jaw hurts while eating, call us to schedule an appointment right away. It is critical that you treat TMJ early by wearing a night guard and preventing your teeth from clenching or grinding in your sleep. Otherwise, TMJ can become severe. At this stage, some people find it difficult to even open their mouth, let alone eat or speak normally.
Sports Protection for your Kids
Having a custom mouth guard created for your sports-playing kids will ensure a comfortable fit and that their teeth are protected from injury.
Is there a reason to have one created by a dentist?
Once you have decided to protect your teeth with a mouth guard, the best thing to do is to schedule an appointment with Dr. Peck. He can examine you, take measurements, make an impression and have your custom mouth guard created. As a result, you will have a device that has been made to your exact specifications so that it will remain in place no matter how fast you run, how high you jump, or how hard you hit the ball. Playing sports can be rough and requires all of your energy. You need a mouth guard that can stand up to those demands. When you visit our dental office, that is exactly what you will get.
Several reasons why a professional mouth guard will be much better than a store-bought brand over the counter include:
- Less of a chance for the mouth guard falling out on a regular basis
- The mouth guard will be a comfortable fit for the child
- Better and more efficient protection for the teeth
- Made with a more durable yet still completely harmless material
The Mouth Guard Process
The process for a mouth guard is harmless and does not normally take more than two appointments. During the first appointment, we will take a mold of the child’s mouth and images as well. Next, we will send the measurements and mold to a dental lab where they will custom make the mouth guard. The child will return to our office once the mouth guard is complete. We will see if the mouth guard fits and make any necessary adjustments. After the appointment, the child will have the necessary protection to help keep his or her teeth safe during physical activities.
How do you clean mouth guards?
We recommend taking them out and rinsing them immediately after you are done wearing them. You should keep your guard in a safe case, and then when you are home, brush it with a soft toothbrush and lukewarm water. This is the best way to ensure plaque does not build up on it. You typically should not use toothpaste since paste can be abrasive. If you would prefer a special cleaning solution, let us know, and we will make a recommendation as to what is available on the market at that time.
This office staff and dentist are friendly and extremely professional. I have utmost confidence in their preventative treatment practices and in the dental procedures I’ve needed. Dr. Peck is always participating in conferences and is on the cutting edge of what’s new, as well as continuing to confirm what is the best dental care.
– Rose D.
We encourage patients to wear a mouth guard to protect from grinding, and or, for parents to buy one for their children if they play sports. Not wearing a mouth guard can cause teeth to break, crack, chip, or even become knocked out when a runaway ball hits your face, or an elbow jab comes your way. If the impact is particularly strong, a tooth could be forced upwards into the gums, or a tooth could pierce through the cheek or lips – all of which can be incredibly painful and lead to a visit to the emergency room. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Peck to talk about mouth guards that prevent dental injuries and relieve TMJ pain.
What makes us different?
Dr. Fred Peck and his team are perfectionists when it comes to your smile.
A tradition of Dental Excellence