Occlusal Guards, Snore Guards & Mouth Guards

Durango, CO

Occlusal Guards

Do you wake up with headaches, or teeth or jaw pain? If so, you should visit our Durango, CO dental office for an examination. You may be in need of night guard. We can provide you with one designed to improve your oral health and even your quality of sleep. To learn more, call (970) 259-1646 and schedule an appointment with our dental office. At Durango Dentistry, we provide superior level care and will use the latest in dental technology to ensure your teeth and gums are as healthy as they can be. Fitting patients with a night guard is often part of that process.

What are night guards?

These small pieces of plastic are designed to fit securely around your teeth. They are actually quite small and can fit in the palm of your hand. Typically, they are made of clear plastic, so they will not stand out when you wear them. This is excellent news for those who are self-conscious about appearance but want to save their teeth. To see what one looks like, visit our Durango dentist office.

Do I really need to wear a night guard?

If you are grinding your teeth at night – yes, you do. At Durango Dentistry, 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 Durango, CO 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.3

Why do most people wear a night guard?

The exact reason you need one will be determined during your dental exam. Typically, they are worn to:

1. Prevent damage. If you have paid to repair your teeth or have had cosmetic work done to improve your appearance, teeth grinding could reverse all that the 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.

2. 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. At Durango Dentistry, 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.

3. Treating TMJ.
   Severe grinding or jaw clenching can lead to TMJ disorder. This can be incredibly uncomfortable, typically starting out 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 (970) 259-1646 to schedule an appointment with our Durango office 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.

Snore Guards

Your dentist has a simple checklist that will help determine the exact design of your SILENT NITE. At Durango Dentistry, we will be able to advise you whether this device could help you or your loved ones obtain better, more healthful, and restful sleep.

What causes snoring?

During sleep, the muscles and soft tissues in the throat and mouth relax making the breathing airway smaller. This decrease in the airway space increases the velocity of air flowing through the airway during breathing. As the velocity of required air is increased in the constricted space, soft tissues like the soft palate and the uvula vibrate. These vibrations of the soft tissue in the mouth and throat result in what is called “noisy breathing” or generally referred to as snoring. It should also be noted that sleep studies have shown that excess body weight, heavy alcohol consumption an other sedatives have been shown to increase the severity of snoring. 

Surgical techniques to remove respiration impairing structures such as uvula, enlarged tonsils and adenoids have been among the many attempted snoring remedies. These soft tissue surgical procedures have shown only moderate success rates (e.g. 20-40%). At certain levels of severity, complete blockage of the airway space by the soft tissues and the tongue can occur. If the period of asphyxiation lasts longer than 10 seconds, this is called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). OSA can be a serious medical condition and your dentist may refer you to a sleep specialist. For the majority of snores however, the most affordable, non-invasive, comfortable, and effective snoring solution remains the dentist prescribed oral snoring preventative device, such as the SILENT NITE. 

How does the SILENT NITE prevent snoring?

Snoring research has also shown that custom fabricated dental devices worn at night that move the lower jaw into a forward position, increase the three-dimensional space in the airway tube which reduces air velocity and soft tissue vibrations. By increasing the volumetric capacity of the airway and preventing soft tissue vibrations, snoring is eliminated. In clinical research studies, these dentist prescribed oral devices have exhibited initial snoring prevention success rates of between 70-100%.

The SILENT NITE device positions the lower jaw into a forward position by means of special connectors that are attached to transparent flexible upper & lower forms. The forms are custom laminated with heat and pressure to the dentist’s model of the mouth. The fit is excellent and comfortable.

Mouth Guards

At Durango Dentistry, 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 recommends 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 in an accident. To keep them healthy and strong, we suggest visiting our Durango, CO dental office twice a year for a routine teeth cleaning. You can schedule an appointment by calling (970) 259-1646.

Extra Protection for Your Teeth

Keep in mind that while healthy teeth are less likely to become damaged, they still can be and this is where a mouth guard can be helpful. 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. At Durango Dentistry, we are confident that when you wear one of our guards, your teeth will be protected from the majority of dental injuries that occur when playing sports.

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.

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.

Risks of Store-Bought Mouth Guards

While many parents will invest in a store-bought mouth guard, they may not realize the risk. With store-bought mouth guards, the mouth guard will not be a perfect fit for the child's teeth. Due to the improper fit, a child will face a greater risk of damaging his or her teeth during the sport or game. A professional mouth guard will be a perfect fit to the child's teeth that will not run the risk of falling out during the game.

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