The solutionsfor a beautiful and healthy smile for all ages! Our Philosophy Our goal is to ensure, using the most advanced techniques, that you and your family get to keep all your teeth throughout your life; pain free, with dignity, and with good function and appearance. In this practice the aim of the staff is to provide you with first-class dental care. As in many things, prevention is better than cure. If sound advice regarding preventive dentistry is followed, you will find that the amount of future dental treatment needed is greatly reduced. • Call 9314 5226 for an appointment or a   dental emergency • Open Monday to Saturday by appointment • Click here for Map • Contact us Services Technically advanced cosmetic and general dentistry MOUTH GUARDS Cause of teeth grinding: Click here to watch a video What is a mouth guard? Thousands of people of all ages experience facial and dental injuries each year. Injuries to the face can harm the teeth, lips, cheeks and tongue. A properly fitted mouth guard, or mouth protector, is an important piece of gear for the athlete or thrill seeker to protect their teeth and smile. You may have seen them used in sports such as football, boxing, and basketball. Mouth guards help protect teeth even in non contact sports, such as gymnastics. Many experts recommend that a mouth guard be worn for any recreational activity that poses a risk of injury to the mouth. Mouth guards provide protection against facial sporting injuries and play an important role as they contribute significantly to safety in sports. Surveys show that the most eager, most dedicated custom mouth guard wearers are people who have already had sporting accidents. Obviously, they have learned from their mistakes. What does a mouth guard do? A mouth guard basically acts as a shock absorber for the teeth and jaw. The capacity of a mouth guard to lessen impact injury depends on the interaction of the mouth guard material and its design. In general, mouth guards serve to both 'absorb' the impact energy and spread it over a larger surface area to reduce tooth injuries or jaw fractures. For a mouth guard to properly protect your teeth it must be custom made and fitted. A mouth guard should be comfortable to wear, have good retention and fit, and cause minimal interference of speech and breathing. Should I get a commercial or custom made mouth guard? There are currently mouth guards which are commercially available. It is recommended to choose the custom made mouth guard as it provides better protection, fits better and is more comfortable to wear. Mouth guards hold top priority as sports equipment and custom made mouth guards are especially made for the athlete’s teeth. A properly fitter mouth guard will protect the athlete from injuries to the teeth, face and even provide protection from severe injuries to the head. The mouth guard protects not just the teeth, but the lips, cheeks, and tongue. A custom-fitted mouth guard provides the exact fit and is more tear resistant, provide superior shock absorption and protection of the gums, stays in place comfortably and allows normal breathing and speech. Increasingly, organised sports are requiring mouth guards to prevent injury to their athletes. Research shows that most oral injuries occur when athletes are not wearing mouth protection. National and state sporting organisations strongly recommend the wearing of properly fitted mouth guards. The NSW Department of Health, Sports Medicine Australia, Australian Dental Association (NSW Branch) and Dental Health Foundation Australia recommend the wearing of custom-made mouth guards for participants involved in training and competition games. What will the dentist do before fitting the mouth guard? Our dentist will consider a number of factors when fitting a patient for a mouth guard. Size of mouth, bite, type of sport played and whether or not the patient wears braces or other appliances are all important considerations. Each patient's very specific needs must be addressed for maximum comfort and protection. Parents need to remember that using a mouth guard will significantly reduce a child's risk of mouth trauma. Even in non contact sports, such as gymnastics, mouth guards help protect children from injury. Why should I get a mouth guard? Here are some important facts about custom mouth guards that may encourage you to think twice before playing without one: • Statistics indicate that custom mouth guards prevent most potential oral/dental   injuries. • Custom mouth guards have been proven to offer as much as 100 percent more   protection than off-the-shelf products. • Custom mouth guards can be produced for children as young as 7 years of age.   Custom mouth guards can also be worn over dentures. Custom mouth guards are   for every sports enthusiast, regardless of activity. • While the expense of a custom mouth guard may be a concern, costs are relative.   Tooth replacement and maintenance commonly costs much more than the cost of   custom fitting mouth guard for dental and oral protection. What is the cost of a mouth guard? Custom mouth guards are made by a dental professional. This can cost between $150 and $300 depending on the guard. While mouth guards are not mandatory equipment in all sports, their worth is indisputable. Mouth guards cushion blows to the face and neck. A mouth guard should be part of every athlete's gear, no matter the sport. Even adults or weekend athletes need to protect their smile and preserve their health. Please call our office at 9314-5226 if you would like to play it safe, wear a comfortable mouth guard and protect your teeth. How should you look after your mouth guard? Rinse your mouth guard under cold water after each use and air-dry. Your mouth guard needs to be cleaned with mild soap and water or mouthwash and allowed to air dry after each use. Store your mouth guard in a plastic container when not in use to avoid damage due to excessive heat and cold. Wear your mouth guard properly. Do not cut or alter it and do not chew on it. Check your mouth guard regularly and let your dentist know if it shows any signs of wear, or has any tears or cracks that may weaken it. If the bite has changed and the mouth guard no longer fits well, it can sometimes be adjusted by the dentist. When you regularly clean your mouth guard, you avoid making you mouth vulnerable to infections. Is there anything else to remember about mouth guards? • Do wear a mouth guard at all times when playing sports. • Do inform yourself about the most common oral injuries. • Do wear a mouth guard custom-fitted by your dentist, especially if you wear fixed   dental appliances such as braces or bridgework. • Do not wear removable appliances (retainers, bridge, or complete or partial   dentures) when playing sports. Click here to return to Services