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Mouth Guards in Santa Monica
At Clove Dental in Santa Monica, we know keeping your smile safe goes beyond just brushing. We offer mouth guards to protect your teeth, whether you're grinding at night or playing sports. We use special materials and custom-fit each one, so they feel comfortable and truly guard your teeth, jaw joints, and everything around them. No matter if you need protection while you sleep or during games, our custom approach means you get the best fit and top-notch safety.
What Are Mouth Guards?
Mouth guards are custom-made pieces that sit between your top and bottom teeth. They act like a cushion, soaking up any hard impacts and stopping your teeth from clenching or grinding against each other. We build these to fit your mouth perfectly, using strong materials that protect well, feel comfortable, and let you talk normally. The mouth guards we make are much better than anything you can buy in a store because they're custom-fitted, use higher-quality materials, and are adjusted by us to work best for you.
Our Santa Monica office offers a few types of protective guards:
- Night Guards: These are custom-made to stop you from grinding or clenching your teeth while you're asleep.
- Sports Guards: These are for athletes. They absorb hard hits and prevent injuries to your teeth during physical activities.
- TMJ Splints: These are special devices that help ease jaw joint pain and the muscle tightness that comes with it.
- Occlusal Guards: These guards protect your teeth from too much wear and help your jaw sit in a better position.
Signs You May Need a Mouth Guard
There are a few clear signs and lifestyle factors that tell us a custom mouth guard could really help keep your mouth healthy:
- Waking up with jaw pain, headaches, or noticing your teeth look worn down. This often points to grinding or clenching at night.
- You play contact sports or do any activity where there's a risk of getting hit in the face.
- You have TMJ problems. This could be clicking, popping, or locking in your jaw, or ongoing face pain and tight muscles.
- Your teeth are getting flat, chipped, or shorter. This is often from grinding habits or how your bite comes together.
- Your partner complains about grinding noises when you sleep, or you just don't sleep well because your jaw feels tense.
- You get frequent morning headaches or face pain, which might be tied to your jaw muscles working hard at night.
Benefits of Custom Mouth Guards
Getting a custom mouth guard from our Santa Monica office gives you some big advantages over those generic ones you might buy off a shelf:
Fits Perfectly & Feels Great
We take a precise mold, so your guard fits your mouth exactly. No bulkiness or uncomfortable pressure points.
Better Protection
Lasts Longer
You'll Actually Wear It
The Custom Mouth Guard Process
Making your custom mouth guard involves a few simple steps to make sure it fits and works just right:
- First Chat: We'll talk about what you need, any symptoms you have, and your daily life to figure out the best type of guard for you.
- Molds of Your Teeth: We'll take very accurate molds of your teeth and gums. These go to a special lab to create your custom guard.
- Bite Record: We also note how your jaw naturally rests. This helps us ensure the guard supports a healthy jaw position.
- Lab Work: Skilled technicians build your custom guard using top-quality materials and special techniques.
- Final Fitting: Once your guard is ready, we'll carefully fit it in your mouth, adjust it until it's comfortable, and confirm it offers the right protection.
- Care Instructions: We'll give you clear instructions on how to wear it properly, clean it, and keep it in good shape so it lasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
When you first start wearing it, it might feel a little unusual in your mouth, and your speech might sound a bit different for a day or two. But most people get used to their custom-fit guard very quickly. Since ours are custom-made, they're designed to be as comfortable and unnoticeable as possible.
