17075 Devonshire St. Suite 308
Northridge, CA 91325
818-831-3365
Cosmetic and Laser Dentistry
NIGHT/SPORTS GUARDS
PROTECT YOUR SMILE
Mouth Guard
A Mouth Guard is a device that is placed over your teeth in order to protect them. Other names it goes by are occlusal guards, occlusal splints, or bite splints. Generally, mouth guards are only placed on your upper teeth, but in other cases it may be applied to both upper and lower teeth such as the individual having braces or some sort of fixed dental appliance. Mouth guards are comfortable, durable, and should not restrict speech.
Who Needs a Mouth Guard?
There are 2 main reasons as to why people may need mouth guards. The first is grinding/clenching, also known as bruxism. This condition may happen without the individual realizing it. Usually people find out about this condition due to pain felt in the jaw upon waking up. When you grind your teeth, you lose your enamel. Enamel cannot be replaced, making you susceptible to a number of oral damages. The photo on the right displays the teeth of a person who grinds. The second reason someone may need a mouth guard is sports. Sports guards are made of softer material and designed to absorb high impact. Its function is all in its name. It’s used to protect teeth in high impact sports.
Getting Your Mouth Guard
The process of getting a mouth guard for either sports or teeth grinding/clenching (night guard) is essentially the same. Visit our Northridge Dental Office to get your custom mouth guard within 3 days. The first day consists of getting a mold of your teeth. This process is fast and should take no more than 30 minutes.
After this you are free to go home and wait for your mouth guard to be finished. While you are waiting, a mixture will be poured into the mold you have provided to your dentist. This mixture takes 24 hours to dry, and when dry will emulate your mouth perfectly. On day 3, that mold will be put into a machine that will create your custom mouth guard, which you are free to pick up.