Whether you play contact sports and need something to protect your mouth or you tend to grind your teeth at night, gum shields – also referred to as mouth guards – are the perfect solution. Read on to find out everything you need to know about custom-made gum shields.
As the name suggests, custom gum shields are tailor-made for your mouth. That means they provide the highest level of protection for your teeth and gums. In contrast, off-the-shelf models – while cheap and durable – are generally bulky and poorly fitting, which limits the amount of protection they provide.
Gum shields have two main functions:
To make your custom gum shield, we take highly precise measurements of your mouth to ensure that it fits securely over your teeth and gums.
While any type of gum shield will offer some level of protection to the wearer, custom gum shields—in other words, those fitted by a dentist—are far more effective. Because they are based on the exact measurements of your mouth, they provide a number of benefits:
The lifespan of your custom gum shield will depend on your age. If you’re still growing, it is likely to need replacing quite regularly to accommodate new and moving teeth. If not replaced, they can quickly become too tight or loose—either way, the level of protection they provide will be significantly reduced.
In older patients, the gum shield should last much longer. However, it will naturally suffer wear and tear over time. As such, we always recommend bringing it along to your regular dental checkups so that it can be examined and replaced if necessary.
Ollie & Darsh isn’t just a cosmetic dentist – we can be your general dentist too. To book an appointment for a regular checkup or to discuss being fitted for a custom gum shield, get in touch with our friendly team today!