The Difference Between a Neuromuscular Mouth and a Regular Mouth Guard

Categories: Mouth Guards

difference between nueromuscular mouth guardsScotts Valley and Santa Cruz, CA

The American Dental Association recommends that any athlete of any age who participates in contact sports should wear a mouth guard for protection, whether it is in competition or practice. At Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry, athletes in the Bay Area now can obtain the finest sports guards on the market by having our team of professionals provide a custom-made neuromuscular mouth guard.

Why should I consider a neuromuscular mouth guard?

Similar to the custom-fit guards that have been available for years in the dental field, a neuromuscular mouth guard is constructed to provide the most secure fit possible, as it is fabricated by using impressions of the teeth and upper dental arch.

While a traditional mouth guard essentially protects your mouth by covering your teeth with an acrylic covering, a neuromuscular mouth guard provides better protection, and can even increase your athletic performance. The biggest difference between the two is that a neuromuscular mouth guard is made while paying attention to the neuromuscular dimensions of your mouth, which means it will either maintain or improve the alignment of your bite and jaw. A better fit means better protection!

Why should this be important to athletes?

A new study finds that wearing a neuromuscular mouth guard can improve your athletic performance. Scientists from Rutgers University in New Jersey conducted recent research that evaluated professional and Division I athletes, whom all went through the same evaluations. However, one group wore custom-fit mouth guards while the second group wore neuromuscular mouth guards. Results showed the athletes who wore a neuromuscular guard had superior results than compared to the other group.

The idea behind a neuromuscular mouth guard is that it takes into account the proper balance and alignment of the patient’s jaw. When this harmony is achieved, stress to the jaw joints is minimized and absorbed by the neuromuscular mouth guard, which allows for better stability, strength, and performance of the athlete. Only a select few dentists practice neuromuscular dentistry. In fact, it requires elective post-graduate training that focuses on how to find the ideal alignment of the jaw so that the entire mouth can work together in harmony.

To the contrary, a traditional mouth guard simply protects the teeth without taking the patient’s jaw alignment into account. Although you may be protecting your teeth with a traditional mouth guard, your jaw is likely to remain misaligned, which may only hinder your athletic performance. Plus, it could leave your jaws or mouth in discomfort.

How can I obtain a neuromuscular mouth guard?

Trust in the professionals at Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry, protect your mouth and help you gain a competitive edge by obtaining a neuromuscular mouth guard. Call our office in Scotts Valley at (831) 438-4411 to learn more. We welcome patients of all ages and can treat a variety of oral conditions from tooth decay, tongue ties in babies and adults, correct crooked teeth, and even offer cosmetic dentistry to those aiming to achieve a gorgeous smile.

Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry provides total oral health care for patients located in the California communities of Los Gatos, Santa Cruz, and Scotts Valley.