Mouth Guards

Mouth guards can reduce the risk of complications and preserve your smile if you have obstructive sleep apnea, grind your teeth, or play contact sports. At Las Positas Family Dental in Livermore, California, Thi Hoang, DDS, Theresa Hoang, DDS, and the team regularly fabricate mouth guards for a variety of applications. Call Las Positas Family Dental to make an appointment or book one online today.

Are mouth guards only for athletes who play contact sports?

Many athletes who play contact sports wear mouth guards, but that isn’t their only purpose. The Las Positas Family Dental team uses mouth guards to manage various oral health problems, including:

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
• Teeth grinding (bruxism)
• Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ)
• Snoring

You can wear mouth guards on your upper or lower dental arch. The team prescribes them to children, teenagers, and adults. 

Are there different types of mouth guards?

The Las Positas Family Dental team offers the three most common types of mouth guards, including:

Sports mouth guards

The tough thermoplastics used to make sports mouth guards protect your teeth from trauma. Consider a sports mouth guard if you box or wrestle or play basketball, soccer, hockey, or football. 

Snoring and sleep apnea mouth guards

If you snore or have obstructive sleep apnea, a custom mouth guard can reposition your jaw, open your airways, and help you get a better night’s sleep.

Mouth guards for grinding teeth

These mouth guards protect your teeth from damage caused by grinding or clenching. If you have TMJ, they can take pressure off your jaw, relieving pain and inflammation.

What’s the process for getting a mouth guard?

If the Las Positas Family Dental team determines you can benefit from a custom mouth guard, they take a series of intraoral scans. An intraoral scanner captures three-dimensional images of your teeth and jaws without any of the mess caused by traditional dental putty.

The team sends your scans to a dental laboratory, where technicians create a custom mouth guard. The manufacturing process takes about two weeks. When the lab finishes your appliance, you return to Las Positas Family Dental and try it on.

How often should I wear my mouth guard?

It depends on what your mouth guard is for. 

For example, if you play contact sports, wear your mouth guard during workouts, practices, and competitions. Conversely, you might only need to wear your mouth guard at night if you have obstructive sleep apnea.

Your Las Positas Family Dental provider gives you detailed instructions and can answer any questions you have. 

Call Las Positas Family Dental to learn more about the benefits of mouth guards, or book your appointment online today.