Splints
If you grind your teeth at night and wake up with a sore neck, jaw muscles, headache and tired; you should talk to us about an occlusal splint.
The cost of cosmetic and restorative dental treatments, not to mention the time and discomfort associated with those procedures is an investment worth safeguarding. If you have crowns, veneers, or other types of prosthetic dental work, an occlusal splint is essential to protect your valuable smile.
While sleeping your bite force can be up to six times greater than when you are awake. An occlusal splint is a device you wear while you sleep to prevent you from damaging your teeth by clenching or grinding. Worn or cracked teeth and damaged rest orations are only some of the physical consequences of grinding. Related problems include sore jaws, headaches, neck aches and jaw alignment problems.
An example of opposing tooth would be the top canine which bites onto the bottom canine. When there is overloading of forces onto opposing teeth it is denoted as a term “bruxism”, whereby the excessive clenching or grinding of teeth is deemed not a part of what is considered to be normal chewing movements.
Excessive clenching is not a healthy action and can occur through the day, but more so during the night, during which time the effects can be exacerbated when there is no conscious control or awareness.
There is a combination of reasons bruxism may occur including physical or psychological stress, anxiety, nutritional deficiencies or dehydration especially in children or abnormal anatomy of teeth or jaws (including high spots on fillings) which can contribute to an improper biting relationship.
Common signs and symptoms that shows that “bruxism” is active include sensitivity to heat and cold, facial muscular pain, tension headaches, flattened and worn tooth surfaces to expose a yellowed coat of dentine, microfractures and broken teeth with chipped edges, loose teeth, an earache like sensation at the jaw joint position and of course, complaints of the noise by partners, family and friends!
Depending on the severity of this condition, there may only be a small combination of such symptoms present.
Worn at night, the occlusal splint is moulded from a hard plastic which is more slender and streamlined in appearance than a mouth guard.
It is fabricated to fit the bite of your top teeth and your bottom teeth gently rest on the flat resin surface to redistribute your bite forces so as to prevent further wear of tooth surfaces.
Mouthguards
If you or family members play any contact sport, a custom-made mouthguard should be considered an essential component of any sports kit.
A custom fitted mouthguard will prevent facial and head injuries while playing sports. Mouthguards can do a lot more than just protect your teeth; a correctly fitted mouthguard prevents injuries to your lips, cheeks, tongue, neck, brain and lower jaw, they can also help to prevent a concussion.
At Arca Dental, we make custom moulded mouthguards for maximum impact protection. They fit perfectly over each tooth, do not move in the mouth and still allow you to breathe and speak with ease.
They come in a range of colours and designs so you can match your mouthguard to your sporting team, or just express your individualism. It’ll come with a protective case to keep it safe and we can put your contact details on the inside of your mouthguard in case it ever gets left behind.
We offer a range of choices to suit your sport
Light laminated mouthguard – for young children up to the age of 12
- AFL
- Rugby
- Karate
- Hockey
Double laminated mouthguard
- AFL
- Karate
- Field Hockey
- Judo / Wrestling
- Motocross
- Softball / Baseball
How to care for your mouthguard
- Wash only with soap, in warm water
- Don’t leave in the sun or near excessive heat
- Make sure you have it checked for fit each year
- Replace it every 2-3 years (children under 15 usually require a new mouthguard each year)
Book your next appointment with ARCA Dental today
(08) 9305 4254