Bite defects are not as rare a problem as it might seem. Medical statistics show that every third person has malocclusion in one form or another! If the anomaly is serious and noticeable, it is corrected in adolescence, but people are in no hurry to deal with mild crooked teeth. And most often because they don’t want to wear braces that others can easily see.
But modern dentistry is ready to offer patients an alternative to braces - these are transparent aligners, wearing which can help correct the bite and acquire a beautiful smile. At the same time, your treatment will remain invisible to strangers and will not cause you any discomfort!
In the article we will talk in detail about how bite defects are treated with mouth guards, what are its features, what types of mouth guards exist and how long they will have to be worn in order to straighten the teeth and acquire an attractive smile.
What are orthodontic aligners, indications for use
The aligners also have a second name - aligners. At their core, they are soft and transparent overlays for teeth, which are made from hypoallergenic polymer materials. Mouthguards, unlike braces, are removable structures: you can put them on and take them off yourself, without visiting the orthodontist’s office.
The mechanism of the beneficial action of mouth guards for correcting occlusion is as follows: the design completely covers the jaw arch and creates pressure on the areas of the dentition that need correction. The main advantage of orthodontic aligners is convenience. Wearing them does not cause any discomfort, adaptation to them is quick, and when correcting a bite with mouth guards, there is no need to follow a diet that excludes any food products.
When can mouth guards be used to correct a bite? Indications for the use of orthodontic aligners are as follows:
- The presence of noticeable interdental spaces;
- Slight displacement of individual teeth in a row;
- Slight crowding of teeth;
- Poor open, cross or distal bite.
IMPORTANT: Unfortunately, serious malocclusion cannot be corrected with mouthguards. To correct significant pathologies, braces are used, most often metal ones, which can create strong pressure on the teeth and thereby bring them into the correct position.
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Manukyan Artavazd Genrikovich
Chief physician of the clinic
Indications
VNS dysfunction is accompanied by a number of characteristic symptoms. Wearing a joint mouthguard is indicated if the following symptoms are present:
- headache;
- bruxism (teeth grinding at night);
- pronounced facial asymmetry;
- hearing impairment (ringing and noise in the ears, feeling of fullness);
- limited mobility of the lower jaw;
- feeling of fullness in the joint area;
- diction disorders;
- clicking and crunching sounds when closing and opening the mouth;
- pain and discomfort in the jaws and cheekbones, aggravated by movement (for example, while chewing or talking);
- rapid fatigue of the muscles of the lower jaw.
There are also restrictions on the use of these products. These include:
- high activity of lips, tongue and cheeks;
- inflammatory processes in the mucous membrane (acute form).
How is a bite corrected using mouthguards?
Correcting a bite with mouth guards begins with a visit to the orthodontist's office. During the first appointment, the doctor examines the oral cavity, assesses the correctness of the bite, and additional diagnostic measures may be prescribed - for example, a panoramic photograph of the jaw. A detailed diagnosis before starting orthodontic treatment and bite correction will help the orthodontist choose the most effective correction method for a specific clinical case.
If the diagnosis shows that in your case it is possible to correct the bite with mouthguards, then further treatment will proceed according to the following scheme:
1. Professional oral hygiene will be carried out, necessary for high-quality cleaning of teeth from plaque and tartar.
2. Impressions are taken of the teeth, on the basis of which a plaster model of the patient’s jaws is made.
3. Mouthguards are created using the finished plaster model. Aligners are made not as a single copy, but as a whole set. You will change mouthguards to correct your bite according to the scheme that the orthodontist will develop for you. Changing the aligners is required to create the correct pressure on the teeth, which will promote their displacement and alignment.
IMPORTANT: The effectiveness of correcting your bite with mouthguards will largely depend on your attitude towards treatment. Mouthguards must be worn for at least 20-22 hours. If you break this rule, you may not expect a positive result from bite correction!
Diet
There is no need to change your diet after installing the mouthguard, since the plate is removed before eating. With braces you will have to stick to a diet. In the first days after fixing the braces, as well as after tightening the arches, you can only eat liquid food. Subsequently, you need to give up solid foods: hard meat, nuts, apples, carrots, etc. They should be ground or ground before eating. It is also necessary to limit the consumption of sweets, sticky foods and drinks with coloring substances: soda, coffee and tea.
After installing braces, it is important not only to exclude certain foods from the diet, it is also recommended to observe the temperature regime. You should not eat food that is too cold or too hot. It negatively affects the condition of the structure and enamel.
Many people mistakenly believe that braces damage teeth, since a large number of bacteria accumulate under them. However, germs can only appear under the arc, and if you take care of hygiene, they will not cause any harm. The locks themselves are sealed tightly, so neither microorganisms nor food debris can get under them. The part of the tooth to which the lock is glued, on the contrary, is reliably protected from external influences.
How many trays may be needed to correct a bite?
How many trays are included in the bite correction kit? The answer to this question will depend on two main factors:
- Difficulties in malocclusion that needs to be corrected;
- Patient's age. The older a person is, the longer orthodontic treatment can be, because after the final formation of the dental system, tooth displacement occurs more slowly. That’s why dentists recommend correcting your bite in childhood and adolescence!
Thus, a full course may require about 15-40 pairs of mouth guards, and each mouth guard will have its own shape and size. To correct the bite, the mouthguards are changed every 2-3 weeks.
Regular change of aligners when correcting a bite is necessary: it allows you to achieve the tightest possible fit of the structure to the teeth. Due to the high density of the mouth guards, they will exert pressure on the teeth, which will cause the teeth to shift in the desired direction. As soon as the pressure becomes insignificant, the used mouth guards are replaced with a new pair.
Wearing comfort
You need to get used to braces and mouth guards. The adaptation period after installation of orthodontic structures lasts about 5-15 days. At this time, the patient may experience discomfort and pain. In addition, there is a risk that metal structures will rub the mucous membrane, in rare cases this leads to the development of inflammation of the soft tissues. Braces also have a significant impact on diction, especially at the very beginning of wearing them. Even lingual braces cause speech distortion. Each time after tightening the arch there will be a new period of adaptation, but not as long as the first.
Mouthguards are much more comfortable, they do not rub the oral mucosa and do not lead to deterioration of diction. However, trainers significantly increase the size of the teeth, which is accompanied by mild discomfort. They usually get used to it quickly. During this period, it is important to be patient and not remove the mouth guards several times a day, otherwise the treatment will be delayed.
Types of mouthguards for correcting bite
Orthodontic mouthguards for correcting bites have their own classification. They are divided into different types according to the following characteristics:
— Material of production. Mouthguards for correcting bites can be made of silicone or polyester;
- Production technology. On this basis, standard and individual dental guards are distinguished.
Each type of mouthguard for correcting the bite has its own characteristics, which will be useful for people planning to undergo orthodontic treatment.
Luminous decorative burls
Here manufacturers have a wide range of options, as they say - for every taste and color. And even light, which, thanks to technology, is now built into mouth guards.
Of course, in this case we are not talking about the benefits of mouth guards, but about entertainment. You can wear them to a disco or surprise others at a friendly party.
Customized dental guards
This is the best option for correcting malocclusion, because such mouthguards are made individually for each patient and based on impressions of his teeth. This allows you to ensure maximum tightness of fit of the trays to the teeth.
Individual mouth guards for correcting occlusion are made from silicone - a plastic, hypoallergenic and transparent material, so the designs will be comfortable to wear and completely invisible on dental surfaces. One of the most popular options for customized mouth guards for correcting malocclusion is the Invisalign system. But they are not made from silicone, but from a biopolymer and sufficiently rigid material. We will talk in detail about Invisalign mouth guards for correcting bites in a separate section of our article.
Why Invisalign? Brand benefits
Invisalign has gained popularity among dentists around the world and their patients due to its effectiveness and discreet wearing. Main advantages of the brand:
Invisalign aligners for correcting malocclusion
Invisalign aligners are a set of designs, the number of which is determined for each patient individually. The more complex the bite defect that needs to be corrected, the more number of trays will be made for a full course of correction. Unlike other types of aligners, Invisalign aligners can also be used to correct complex malocclusions, such as straight and medial bites.
Invisalign aligners are made to correct the bite using a 3D model of the jaws, which is created by a computer program. The use of computer technology allows not only to obtain anatomically accurate orthodontic structures for effective treatment, but also to show the patient the final result of the correction.
The three-dimensional model and impressions are sent to a laboratory in the USA, where a full set of mouth guards is manufactured to correct the bite. When the kit is ready, the patient is invited to the clinic, where the orthodontist gives detailed advice on wearing the aligners and caring for them.
Invisalign mouth guards are one of the most expensive types of aligners; the total cost of a course of treatment starts at 400,000 rubles. However, these are the most convenient and effective mouth guards to use and, importantly, are invisible on dental surfaces. This quality of Invisalign aligners is especially appreciated by adult patients.
You can get detailed advice on Invisalign aligners and their use in bite correction at our premium dentistry clinic in Moscow - “Aesthetica”. Making an appointment with our dental specialists is very simple: you can do this through a special form on the website or by dialing our contact phone number. "Aesthetica" - advanced technologies for the health of your teeth and the beauty of your smile!
Treatment of malocclusion using aligners
The installation of a mouthguard is performed only on healthy teeth, so a mandatory step in the preparation of the dentition is the treatment of caries and pulpitis, plaque removal and professional cleaning.
In trusted Moscow dental clinics, the stages of bite correction in adults and children include:
- Initial visit to the orthodontist. The doctor will evaluate the bite and condition of the teeth and refer you for a mandatory x-ray examination. The main goal of this stage is to determine the feasibility of installing transparent aligners and the possibility of correcting the identified malocclusion pathology.
- Taking impressions and treatment planning. The orthodontist creates a 3D computer model and designs the correction step by step. The patient sees in the program how the position of the teeth changes and the dental rows are straightened. Simultaneously calculates the number of aligners and the amount for treatment.
- Production of caps The period depends on the manufacturers. For Italian and American aligners manufactured abroad, patients wait up to 2-4 weeks. Orthodontic devices created in Skolkovo near Moscow are ready in a few days.
- Get to know your aligners and get a replacement schedule for your aligners. The orthodontist teaches the patient how to put on and take off the aligners, explains the care technique, and explains when it is necessary to change one product and not another.
- Aligners straighten teeth - wearing aligners and watching how the bite straightens every week.
Advantages and disadvantages of using mouth guards to correct bites
Mouthguards for correcting bites have a number of advantages that make orthodontic treatment comfortable and convenient for patients:
— Mouthguards are removable structures, and this provides a number of advantages. Firstly, the mouth guard can be easily removed before an important meeting or special event, and secondly, this allows for high-quality oral hygiene and comfortable eating. You simply remove the mouth guard while eating for quality cleansing;
— The process of adaptation to mouth guards for correcting malocclusion proceeds quite quickly. In just 2-3 days you will stop noticing the aligners on your teeth;
— Wearing aligners does not cause problems with diction and does not interfere with active communication;
— The elastic material of the mouth guard does not injure the soft tissues of the oral cavity, does not cause allergic reactions and does not have a negative effect on tooth enamel;
— Mouthguards for correcting bites are made from transparent materials and therefore they are invisible on the teeth;
— The structures are easily cleaned from food debris and plaque;
— Correcting your bite with mouth guards can be combined with teeth whitening: to do this, just apply a special whitening gel to the inner surface of the product.
Treatment of bite defects with mouthguards is possible at any age and has fewer indications than therapy using traditional braces. But in addition to the advantages, mouth guards for correcting bites also have some disadvantages that are important to consider before starting treatment.
Among them:
— Mouthguards cannot correct serious malocclusions;
— It will take a long time to produce a full set of mouth guards to correct your bite.
It is worth noting that the price of correcting a bite with aligners may be more expensive than treatment with braces.
Installation for children and adults
Braces can be installed on molars at almost any age. The dental system in humans is formed until approximately 17-18 years of age, and the final bite is formed by 12-14 years of age. It is best to get braces during adolescence, as children's dental tissues are more pliable. Staples are also effective in treating adults, but preparation for their installation will require more time and effort. In addition, the healing process will be longer.
Trainers can also be prescribed to both young patients, even those with baby teeth, and older ones. However, it is worth considering that mouth guards are a removable device. If an adult can control himself, then the child will have to be constantly monitored so that he does not remove the aligners if discomfort occurs.
Typically, plates are used when the child’s molars are just erupting, if there is a risk of their improper growth. After the bite is formed, it is better to install braces. As for adults, their choice is determined primarily by indications, and only then by their own preferences.
Rules for wearing and caring for mouth guards to correct your bite
There is nothing complicated about caring for mouth guards to correct your bite. All you need to do is:
1. Remove the mouth guards from your mouth while eating and each time after removal, rinse them in clean, cool water. 2. After removing the aligners and before putting the aligners back on, carefully and efficiently brush your teeth to remove plaque and food debris. In this procedure, it is recommended to use not only a brush and toothpaste, but also dental floss and rinses. 3. The outer surface of the trays to correct the bite should be cleaned with a soft brush and paste. 4. Aligners should be stored in a special container. 5. If you accidentally damage the mouthguard, it should be replaced with a new pair. 6. Mouthguards cannot be bent, washed with aggressive substances or just hot water.
And of course, don’t forget that mouth guards only work to correct your bite if you wear them regularly and at least 20 hours a day.
Reviews about wearing mouth guards for TMJ dysfunction
Alexandra Tretyakova, 27 years old:
“I began to experience pain on the left side of my face, and I consulted a doctor. He almost immediately diagnosed temporomandibular joint dysfunction. The fact is that several years ago I had one upper tooth removed, so the load on the jaw began to be distributed unevenly. After performing an orthopantogram and MRI of the joint, the doctor made an impression to make a personal mouthguard. According to his recommendations, I wore the product at night and for several hours during the day. After a month, the pain has practically disappeared, but treatment is still ongoing.”
Mikhail Alekseev, 40 years old
“In the last couple of years, painful sensations have appeared in the area of the jaw joint, and a crunching sound is heard when opening and closing the mouth. The doctor diagnosed temporomandibular joint dysfunction. He advised me to wear a special orthodontic mouthguard made of silicone. There really is an effect, the crunching disappeared completely after 3 months. The pain still bothers me sometimes, but much less often.”
Duration and effectiveness of treatment with mouthguards for correcting malocclusion
The timing of treatment will depend primarily on the complexity of the malocclusion that needs to be corrected. The average duration of aligner therapy in adult patients is 1 year. This is taking into account your disciplined approach to treatment! The orthodontist will definitely calculate the approximate time frame for the general course of correction when drawing up a treatment plan!
Mouthguards for correcting bites are effective in correcting mild anomalies; if you need to eliminate severe crowding of teeth or serious pathology, it is optimal to plan treatment using classic braces.
Mouth guards as an alternative to braces
Straightening crooked teeth, of course, should be done in childhood. However, many parents simply do not pay attention to this problem. Therefore, the question of orthodontic treatment for most patients arises in adolescence or adulthood. However, not every teenager or adult will agree to put braces on their teeth and follow not the most simple rules of hygiene. Until recently, there was no alternative to braces. But with the advent of aligners - mouth guards for straightening teeth, it became possible to undergo orthodontic treatment unnoticed by others and with comfort for yourself. Moreover, this applies not only to adults, but also to teenagers, for whom their own technology of transparent mouth guards has been developed. Like aligners for adults, they are a set of removable aligners, completely invisible to others, which can correct most dental anomalies, provided that the attending physician has the appropriate experience.
Price for mouthguards to correct bite
The total cost of a course of bite correction with aligners will depend on the length of treatment and the number of aligners that will need to be made. In addition to the price of the aligners themselves, it is worth considering additional procedures that may need to be performed before starting orthodontic treatment. Thus, mouthguards should not be worn if you have caries, gum disease, or poor oral hygiene. Diagnostics, photographs and casts of the jaw are paid separately. Therefore, the exact cost of a course of treatment with mouth guards to correct your bite can only be calculated for you in the orthodontist’s office.
If you are thinking about correcting your bite, come to our clinic in Moscow - “Aesthetica”! Our experienced orthodontists will definitely select the treatment method that will be most effective in your case! We offer our patients the best technologies, materials, individual approach and guarantee that with us you can treat your teeth and get a beautiful smile in a comfortable environment and without pain!
Mouthguards for night teeth grinding
Bruxism or nighttime teeth grinding is one of the serious diseases that affects approximately 3% of the world's population. The reasons for this have not been fully identified, but the consequences can be very serious - from abrasion of tooth enamel to deformation of the jaw joints. Wearing special mouth guards allows you to protect your teeth from premature wear, relieve muscle tension, and reduce headaches. For the effect to be effective, the mouth guards should be worn for up to 10 hours a day.
Mouthguards for the treatment of teeth grinding are distinguished by the time of their use. There are day guards that are worn during the day; they are transparent and almost invisible.
There are night guards that you wear while you sleep. They may differ in shape from daily mouth guards, but are also comfortable and imperceptible in the mouth.
Effective dental mouthguard
The first dental mouth guard was released by the American company Align Technology in 1999. Now they are manufactured in Russia, the USA, Britain, Germany, as well as South Korea, Mexico, Italy and the Netherlands. Today the following brands are represented on the Russian orthodontic market:
Invisalign is produced by Aling Technology (USA), which has the greatest practical experience
in this market segment. Over a long period, systems of this brand have helped more than four million patients in different countries of the world cope with bite problems. Each tray change occurs within 14 days. The result is visible after 2-3 weeks of treatment. The use of innovative technologies and high-quality materials allows us to produce mouth guards that are highly aesthetic and comfortable to wear. The disadvantage of the product is that it is too expensive due to the need to deliver an individual order from the USA.
Star Smile has been manufactured using American technology in Moscow since 2012.
Replacing the mouthguard with a new one is necessary every two weeks. The treatment period ranges from 3 to 15 months. The product is considered optimal in terms of price-quality. The discomfort is felt during the first three days after replacing the mouth guard with a new one.
Clear Correct is an American brand that has been producing mouth guards for 14 years.
The products of this brand will be the best solution for patients with high sensitivity to synthetic components. It is necessary to change the aligners every 2-3 weeks.
Invisible All In are inexpensive Italian mouth guards of good quality.
The treatment process takes on average 6 months.
Denti Belli are produced in Italy.
Their production uses highly effective technology based on three-dimensional printing. Delivery to Russia is carried out 2 weeks after placing an individual order.
Orto Snap are inexpensive aligners from an American manufacturer.
The result cannot be predicted, since IT modeling is not used in their production.
The mouth guards of the patented American brand Ultralight deserve special attention.
The company's headquarters is located in the USA. Some time ago, production was moved to Russia, to the Skolkovo innovation center. When visiting an orthodontist, the patient undergoes a scan of the jaw. The results obtained are sent to the USA for detailed analysis. High-quality custom Ultralight mouth guards are manufactured in the Russian Federation, under constant supervision by American colleagues. Ultralight mouthguards
They are distinguished by a favorable price, due to the fact that they are produced in Russia.
Important! When choosing a specific manufacturer, be sure to listen to the opinion of a specialist. Only a doctor can choose a truly comfortable and optimal option, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient. Silicone mouthguards for teeth, which are made in Russia, are considered no less effective than their imported counterparts.
Causes
The list of negative factors that can lead to diseases of the jaw joint includes:
- Edentia of the lateral elements of the dentition;
- Malocclusion caused by mechanical trauma;
- Infection of the joint cavity by pathogenic microbes;
- Excessive or insufficient load on the joint;
- The presence of bad habits leading to disruption of normal functioning;
- Age-related destruction of bone tissue and natural weakening of the periodontium;
- Regular stressful situations that contribute to high blood pressure.
Identification of the root cause of the development of pathology is carried out as part of a dental examination, and is an important factor taken into account when forming a treatment plan.
Manufacturing
The mouth guard for joint treatment is made in the form of a removable overlay. It is produced based on the anatomical features of the jaw apparatus, which ensures a tight fit and efficiency. Transparent silicone or acrylic is used for manufacturing; the shape can be different, depending on the required functionality and the result of the correction.
The procedure for making the lining:
- a visual inspection is carried out, studies are prescribed;
- impressions are taken from the lower and upper rows;
- a computer volumetric model is created, on the basis of which a plaster mold is produced;
- wax modeling and plate production are carried out;
- the surface of the device is processed and polished.
A special form of installation allows you to neutralize spasms and excessive stress, eliminate pain and discomfort. Gradually, the functions of the TMJ are restored, the first results become noticeable within a couple of days after the start of therapy.
