Dental and Bite Guard Appliances: Nightguards and Dayguards for You and Your Family
The complex design of your teeth, mouth, and jaw joints is truly a wonder of nature. It also has a powerfully symbiotic relationship with the rest of the body and your overall wellness. Yet, stressors of everyday life can compromise teeth and jaws. Dr. Olivia Hart provides safe, non-surgical solutions for patients in the Glen Allen and Glen Allen, Virginia area, including dental appliances and bite guards.
TREATMENT OF TMJ DISORDERS (TMD)
The lives of an estimated ten million Americans – including children – are disrupted by temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, problems. The temporomandibular joints attach your mandible to the skull, allowing the jaw to open and close, slide side to side, and push forward. These motions are necessary to breathe properly, eat, communicate verbally, and make facial expressions.
When the bite is ideally balanced and the body and mind are in harmony, these multifaceted joints function comfortably. Under stress, however, tissues in the TMJs become inflamed, irritating the nerves and limiting the mobility of the mouth.
A conventional approach indicates strong pain medications to mask symptoms of TMJ disorder (TMD), and possibly surgical intervention.
In keeping with a biological practice philosophy, Dr. Hart designs TMJ appliances tailored to the patient. Various types of TMJ appliances are custom-fitted for comfort, and:
- Realign the bite, bringing the joints into balance
- Cushion the pressure on the teeth and TMJs
- Distribute the bite force more evenly across the arch
- Reduce the tendency to clench and grind teeth by encouraging a “lips closed bite open” posture during sleep
Simply slip the discreet night guard into place before you go to bed; remove and rinse it in the morning. Patients with severe TMD may benefit from wearing a dental guard throughout the day, as well.
NIGHTGUARDS AND DAYGUARDS PROTECT TEETH FROM GRINDING AND TRAUMATIC INJURY
Teeth are intended to withstand tremendous bite pressure. Yet, they can easily be damaged by lateral forces from trauma incurred in sports injuries or fractured and worn from bruxing (clenching and grinding). Most people understand the importance of wearing a mouth guard to prevent these issues, but few feel comfortable with a bulky, store-bought appliance. Dr. Hart creates a guard from impressions of your mouth, for exceptional fit and optimal effectiveness.
Contact Dr. Olivia Hart of Virginia Biological Dentistry to protect your smile from damage with a custom made dental guard appliance. Click here to make an appointment now or call (804) 381-6238 or email at info@virginiabiologicaldentistry.com to learn more.
