The power of mouthguards: Protect your teeth and your pocketbook in Alpharetta, GA
Bella Hanono Family Dentistry has at its fingertips in Alpharetta, GA, all sorts of oral appliances to non-invasively protect the teeth and enhance overall health and well-being. The appliances that Dr. Hanono prescribes are customized to fit your mouth. They are made from durable materials. When they slip into your mouth and over your teeth, they protect the teeth from damage or slightly reposition oral structures. So, you can breathe uninterrupted through the night, or the stress on your jaw joints is relieved.
Student-athletes and “active types” can benefit from oral appliances known as “mouth guards.” You or your little athlete may be familiar with the off-the-shelf mouthguards designed to fit an array of mouths. Made from a type of plastic softened in warm water and then conformed to the teeth when patients bite down (similar to conventional dental impressions). While such stock and “boil and bite” options may seem like a good deal from the get-go, they are not a great value over the long term. We encourage you to visit our office. So, we can design a mouthguard that perfectly fits your teeth. Custom mouthguards offer exceptional protection from oral injuries. Additionally, sink into the following considerations:
- Comfort – Mouthguards that are bulky or that do not fit your mouth well will not get worn. Some one-size-fits-all sports guards are so unwieldy that they interfere with the ability to breathe during exercise comfortably. This challenge can impede, rather than enhance, sports performance and endurance. In turn, many athletes will choose not to wear them and would instead take the risk of a costly dental mishap.
- Superior prevention – Mouthguards are frequently characterized as a “preventive service,” as they do just that: prevent oral injuries. Generally, prevention is always less costly, time-consuming, and traumatic than restorative care. Consider how an avulsed or “knocked-out” tooth requires emergency care to “re-root” the tooth. Even with prompt care, we cannot guarantee that every avulsed tooth will “take” and be restored to health. In some cases, tooth replacement is the only option to fill a gap. Also, since custom mouthguards fit so well, they can function optimally to protect your teeth and other oral tissues from damage.
During check-ups, Dr. Hanono checks that the mouthguard is still in great shape. Depending on your needs, other types of oral appliances may be recommended, too. These include nightguards worn to protect the teeth from chips, fractures, and further damage caused by bruxism (teeth grinding). This condition often arises during sleep or when patients are concentrating or stressed. Contact us at (770) 343-4052.