When you have painful jaw joint disorders like TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding), or if you have issues with sleep, then we can help with a custom oral appliance. In addition, we can also offer a custom oral appliance to help protect your smile from sports injuries! In today’s blog, your Kansas City, MO, dentist talks about our oral appliances.
TMJ Disorder and Bruxism
When the jaw joint becomes imbalanced, which can happen due to injury, tooth loss, misalignment, or complications with the growth of the jaw and eruption of the teeth, this could lead to the onset of TMJ disorder or bruxism (teeth grinding). High stress levels can be potential factors too! With TMJ disorder, imbalance alters how you open and close your mouth. With teeth grinding, the pressure on your smile can damage teeth. Common symptoms include pain in the face, jaw, neck, and shoulders, as well as a popping in the jaw or toothaches. But with an oral appliance, we can reposition the jaw to ease strain, and place a barrier between the upper and lower teeth to prevent damage to the teeth. We can also repair any damage with bonding or the placement of a custom crown. We can also talk about changes to your daily routine, such as avoiding hard or chewy foods and snacks, using a warm compress to ease tension in the side of the face, and over-the-counter pain relievers in conjunction with your oral appliance. Muscle exercises could be helpful too!
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea means that while you rest at night the soft tissues in the throat and mouth become too relaxed and then collapse, a complication that interrupts your sleep. You stop breathing and the brain wakes you, which can happen multiple times a night even if you don’t remember it occurring. This can lead to snoring, moodiness, waking in the night gasping for air, memory issues, and difficulties with concentration. The disorder can also strain both your immune system and heart health! But with an oral appliance, you wear a mouthguard-like device as you sleep, which then repositions the jaw to keep airways open and free of obstructions, so you breathe easy. In addition to the appliance, you can help by resting on your side instead of your back, keeping your bedroom dark and cool, avoiding screens in the hour before bed, and cutting back on alcohol before bed too.
Sports Injuries
When you play full contact sports, there is always the risk of a cracked, chipped, or knocked out tooth. You can use store bought boil-and-bite mouthguards, but for a greater level of protection, our team can offer a custom-made sports guard. This fits snugly over your teeth and reduces the risk of an injury to your smile.
Creating an Appliance
How do we create an oral appliance that addresses these complaints? To begin, we will take detailed digital images and measurements of your smile from multiple angles. We then use these in a dental lab to design and craft the oral appliance from a pliable and soft material. Being custom-made means a proper fit and treatment with precision and accuracy. The device is simple to wear, and you can clean and store it easily. The device can travel with you too! We will speak with you regularly once you receive the device to ensure it fits comfortably, as we can make adjustments in the early stages to ensure a proper fit!
Protecting Your Smile
Once you start treatment, be sure you continue to see our team every six months. During your routine checkup, our team can take a close look at your smile with digital imagery to assess the current state of your oral health. We can adjust the fit of your appliance as needed to ensure comfort and proper care. We also clean the teeth to lower the risk of issues like tooth decay, gum disease, bad breath, and teeth stains. If you have any questions about how we can use an oral appliance to offer better oral health, bite function, and smile beauty. Then contact our team today. You deserve a healthy smile and a good night’s rest, and confidence on the court.
Schedule Your Next Visit With Our Team
We want to help you smile with confidence, avoiding injuries and discomfort, and even enjoying a good night’s rest again. To schedule an appointment with the team at Delightful Dental Care in Kansas City, MO, call our office today at 816-942-7669. A custom oral appearance can offer quality care and comfort for your smile, so reach out today to talk about your options.