What is a Dental Appliance?
Maintaining good oral health goes beyond just brushing and flossing. For those of us who like to play sports or have developed habits like snoring, teeth grinding or clenching, dental appliances can help preserve and protect our oral structures.
At Waterloo Family Dental, we offer snoring and sleep apnea appliances, sports guards, and night guards. Each dental appliance is designed to fit your mouth perfectly, offering both protection and comfort.
Your smile is important to us and we want to help you protect it as much as possible. Talk to our dental team today to see if dental appliances may be able to give you a better night's sleep or to request a custom-fitted sports guard before your next game.
Snoring & Sleep Apnea Appliances
Sleep disorders keep you up at night and restrict oxygen from reaching the brain, which negatively affects your sleep as well as your general health and well-being.
In patients who snore, throat tissues relax and cause the airway to restrict, producing the sound of snoring as oxygen is forced past. In patients with sleep apnea, over-relaxed throat tissues block the airway, forcing the brain to wake them up to breathe.
Our dentists can provide custom-made oral appliances designed to open your airway by repositioning your tongue and lower jaw muscles to improve your breathing and stop you from waking up throughout the night.
Sports Guards
With most physical activities, you run the risk of injury or impact on your face or mouth. A sports mouth guard is designed to provide a barrier between your teeth and the soft tissue of your mouth to protect them from damage.
Night Guards
A night guard can help shield your teeth from damage if you are prone to grinding your teeth while you sleep. If you clench your jaw, a night guard can also help stop that, preventing you from excessive wear on your teeth and providing some pain relief.