Silverlake Oral Appliances

Protecting the teeth from damage helps one keep a healthy smile for a lifetime. Besides brushing, flossing, and visiting a dentist, some patients require mouthguards and other oral devices to ensure good oral health.

These oral appliances have multiple applications, such as treating diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea, night-time sleep grinding, jaw joint disorders, bite problems, or protecting the teeth from high impact damage.

Silverlake Smiles employs various oral appliances, such as retainers, mouthguards, and snore guards, depending on a patient’s treatment goals and preferences. We serve the local neighborhood of Silverlake and surrounding areas of Atwater Village, Frogtown, Los Feliz, and Echo Park.

Retainers

As the name suggests, dental practitioners use retainers to “retain” the results of dental intervention. Retainers come in different styles, but each works to protect treatment benefits and prevent the teeth from shifting out of alignment. A retainer plays a critical role in a patient’s dental treatment since it keeps the patient’s smile in place and their teeth healthy.

Mouthguards/Night Guards

People who play high-impact sports usually wear mouthguards to safeguard their teeth and jaws from trauma. Essentially, mouthguards serve as a shield to soften the potential impact one may incur during high-impact activities. Since people require mouthguards for varying needs, different mouthguards are available on the market.

A mouthguard reduces the likelihood of losing a tooth or biting oneself. Besides mouthguards, oral healthcare professionals can also prescribe a night guard or bite guard to prevent teeth grinding. Most people grind their teeth when asleep, wearing out their enamel and weakening their teeth.

In some cases, teeth grinding results in headaches, painful jaws, and neck pain. A night guard creates a barrier between the upper and lower jaw, making it more difficult to grind the teeth. Patients often begin to notice positive changes in treatment after a few days of using a night guard.

Sleep Apnea (Snore Guard)

A snore guard enables an individual with mild to moderate sleep apnea to sleep restfully through the night without experiencing an obstructed airway or snoring. Patients wear custom oral sleep apnea devices in the mouth during sleep to help prevent the collapse of the tongue and soft tissues in the back of the throat during sleep.

Experts customize snore guards for each patient and design them to fit over a patient’s teeth like an orthodontic retainer or mouthguard. These devices keep the tongue, soft tissue, and jaw in a position during sleep to allow normal breathing.

With an extensive range of snore guards available on the market, selecting a specific appliance may seem somewhat challenging. After a sleep apnea diagnosis, a healthcare expert can help patients choose the right type of snore guard for sleep apnea.

Advantages of oral appliances for treating sleep apnea include:

• Non-invasive
• Short adjustment period
• Comfortable to wear
• Suitable for CPAP-intolerant patients
• Small and easy to carry devices
• Improve sleep apnea symptoms significantly
• Noticeable improvements in snoring

Reach Silverlake Smiles today at (213) 631-7799 for more information about oral appliances, including retainers, mouthguards, and snore guards.