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Just imagine yourself waking up after a good night’s sleep only to experience headaches and sore jaws. Do you face similar circumstances often? If yes, then you must consider a proper dental guard.
You might believe that all dental guard appliances look the same. However, that is simply not so. There are various types of dental guard appliances, such as night guards, retainers, and mouth guards, each with a unique purpose.
In this blog, we’ll discover all about these dental guard appliances so that you can easily make the right decision for your needs. So lets dive deep into the world of dental guard appliances!
Dental Appliances
People tend to think that all dental appliances such as night guards, mouth guards, and retainers have similar functions and can be used interchangeably. However, these unique dental appliances serve different functions. They might appear similar but don’t have the same features.
Night Guard
A night guard (occlusal splint) is an adaptable dental device that is usually worn at night time to protect teeth from wear and tear of teeth clenching or grinding (bruxism). Patients use night guard to reduce the effects of TMJ symptoms, headaches or tooth loss.
According to research study by Researchgate, bilaminar splints (nightguard) offer great wear resistance against sleep bruxism.
If you suffer from bruxism or teeth grinding during the night or day, it’s important to consult a dentist immediately.
How Night Guard Works
A night guard is typically worn over your lower or upper teeth arch at night. It prevents you from teeth clenching (bruxism). Night guards are usually crafted from strong or flexible plastic, depending upon your daily teeth grinding habits.
Although, a night guard appears similar to a retainer they are aimed to reduce your teeth grinding. This is achieved by preventing your upper and lower arch from connecting with each other.
Night guard are recommend to be used at night but can also be used in daytime as well. You can attain quality night guards from companies such as ALIGNER32.
Types of Night Guards
You can obtain various types of night guards depending on your night grinding or clenching frequency and needs. Some of these include:
Soft Night Guard: These are usually made from flexible (EVA) materials. They provide moderate protection for those suffering from TMJ or bruxism (teeth grinding).
Hard Night Guard: Crafted from superior durable (arcylic) materials. These night guard provide enhanced protection for those patients with severe teeth grinding (bruxism) or related TMJ symptoms.
Hybrid Night Guard: Thes are crafted with BPA free materials featuring dual layer design having hard exterior and soft interior. They are ideal for patients who suffer from moderate to severe teeth grinding .
What is a Retainer?
Retainers are a unique orthodontic guard device that serves to retain your ideal teeth alignment after undergoing teeth straightening therapy. It functions to maintain your new smile after your teeth have shifted to their new position.
Furthermore, retainers also help with correcting bite problems and closing gaps between teeth. These are crafted from strong (Acrylic) thermoplastic materials.
Retainers can be applied during the day or night as per the instructions given by your dentist or orthodontist. These are crucial for long-term teeth stability and dental hygiene. As a result, they maintain and protect your unique smile. However, you do need to pay attention to your dentist’s guidance.
How Retainer Work
The main function of a retainer is to maintain your newly straightened teeth from relapse. They are crafted for your unique teeth structure to ensure a snug fit. Your new teeth need time to adjust to surrounding tissue and bone.
Retainers ensure that your orthodontic therapy investment does not get wasted. Using retainers might be little uncomfortable in the beginning. However, you wil soon get used to them.
You need to wear retainers after undergoing orthodontic treatment process for a minium period of six to twelve months based on your dentist recommendations.
Types of Retainers
There are basically two categories of retainers that you can obtain for your orthodontic teeth therapy. These include:
Non Removable Retainers
These use sturdy metal or nickel and are permanently fixed on the back side of your teeth. These types of retainers cannot be removed for eating, drinking, brushing or flossing. Furthermore, you might need to consult with your dentist if you face any issues like breakage, repair, or loosening.
Removable Retainers
As the name itself suggests these retainers can be removed and are further divided into two categories, including:
Hawley Retainer
These consist of metal wire which goes along your teeth arch with acrylic plastic base. These retainers can be removed for eating, drinking, brushing or flossing. However, they require adjustments by your dentist to provide superior results.
Clear Plastic Retainers
These are crafted from flexible BPA-free materials. You get to enjoy your new radiant smile as these retainer don’t get in the way of your daily activities. These retainers are removable and ensure that newly aligned teeth stay in alignment. You can get one from your dentist or order them online without a reliable provider.
What is a Mouth Guard
A mouth guard is an orthdoontic dental device that protects sports athletes from severe dental trauma and injuries. These are most ideal for intense sports such as footbal, lacrosse, ice hockey, wrestling and basketball.
Mouth guards are crafted from durable materials to ensure that impact is evenly distributed across the skull, guaranteeing your jaw and teeth remain intact.
How Mouth Guard Works
A mouth guard protects your teeth by creating rigidness between your jaws and keeping them aligned. Using superior materials, they provide adequate protection from all kinds of dental trauma and injuries sustained during intense sports sessions.
Sports athletes also use mouth guards to safeguard their precious smiles and keep their orthodontic treatment investment safe. They also use mouth guards to avoid costly dental treatment costs which can jeopardize their sports careers.
Types of Mouth Guards
There are primarily three types of mouth guards available in the market. These include:
- Generic (OTC)
- Boil & Bite
- Custom made
Generic (OTC)
These mouth guards are crafted from strong plastic and readily available as they are preformed. They are available in a wide variety of styles, colors and sizes. Over-the-counter mouth guards don’t provide best protection from oral injuries and they cn even irritate your jaw and gums overtime.
Boil and Bite:
The more common variety that are preferred by many people as they provide slightly superior protection than generic mouth guards. These are pre-formed and can be molded in hot water to align with your unique teeth structure.
Custom:
These are crafted by your dentist according to your unique lifestyle. Superior and durable materials (EVA) are used to provide enhanced breathability and protection against all kinds of dental injuries.
Primary Differences between Mouth Guard, Retainer, and Night Guard
Some of the primary key differences between dental guard appliances that set them apart include:
| Feature | Mouth Guard | Retainer | Night Guard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material | Durable Thermoplastic (PETG) or hard silicone | EVA (BPA free) | Acrylic or flexible silicone (BPA free) |
| Wear Time | During sport activities | 6-12 months | 8-10 hours per day |
| Appearance | Solid colors or semi-transparent | Transparent | Semi-transparent |
| Purpose | Protection from severe dental injuries like jaw fractures, enamel damage ,dislodged teeth and concussions | To stop newly aligned teeth from lapasing back to original positions | To reduce or lower damage from teeth clenching and grinding (bruxsim) |
| Maintenance | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| Target Audience | Sports athletes | Patients who have completed orthodontic treatment therapy | Patients who suffer from night or day time bruxism or TMJ symptoms |
Choosing the Right Dental Appliance
Choosing among the right dental guard can be quite tricky. You need to understand your orthodontic and dental protection needs carefully before making the final decision among retainers, night guards, and mouth guards.
Making a wrong choice without giving due thought about the benefits, purpose or limitations of dental appliances can be quite dangerious for your oral health.
You need to ensure your dental health and amazing smile does not get compromised. Always consult with a qualified dentist and follow their recommendations regarding choosing the ideal dental guard appliances.
FAQs
Can we use a retainer as a night guard?
No you cannot, as both dental appliances serve different purposes. Night guard use durable materials whereas retainers use flexible and smooth materials.
Do boil and bite mouth guards provide adequate protection during intense sports sessions?
No, these do not offer adequate protection and you can attain serious dental injury. Only custom mouth guards using superior materials (EVA) provide best protection and comfort.
What is the purpose of retainers?
Retainers are designed to safeguard your teeth straintening therapy investment. The maintain your newly aligned teeth structure from moving back to their original position.
