Mouthguards

A mouthguard is a custom made, protective rubber-like cover which fits exactly over your teeth and gums, cushioning them and protecting them from damage.

It is important to wear a professionally made mouthguard whenever you play any contact sport. This includes hurling, football, camogie, hockey, rubgy, boxing and martial arts. A fitted mouthguard will provide a level of protection against damage to your teeth and jaws.

At GAA Congress on April 14th 2012, a motion regarding the mandatory wearing of mouthguards was passed. The text of the motion is as follows:

“Motion 30: Mandatory wearing of Mouth Guards
It will now be mandatory to wear a mouthguard in football games and training sessions. The rule comes into effect for senior players from 2014 and from 2013 for players up to and including minor level.”

We will be happy to construct a custom made mouthguard for you, which will fit your mouth exactly and protect your teeth and gums properly.

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Night-Grinding Splints

Bruxism is the unconscious and involuntary habit of clenching or grinding teeth. More often than not a person with bruxism is unaware of the problem and unable to stop the habit. One of the problems being presented to dentists more and more often is the appearance of cracked and fractured teeth. Patients can sometimes also complain of headaches and jaw pain. In many cases this has been found to be related to a habit whereby the teeth are brought into contact at night with such force that they are damaging the opposite teeth and their supporting structures. This can also place undue stress on the muscles and joints involved. A lot of these problems can be relieved by the wearing of a suitable night-grinding splint over the top of the teeth.

Simple treatments that we provide for patients at Dean Street Dental include jaw exercises, anti-inflammatory medication, and the use of plastic mouth appliances called ‘bite splints’. The avoidance of abnormal jaw movement habits is important for patients who need to rest a painful jaw joint.