A mouth guard, commonly known as an athletic guard, is recommended for both children and adults that play sports. Some examples of these sports are football, soccer, hockey, field hockey, lacrosse, basketball, baseball, softball, karate, wrestling and boxing. Basically, for any activity that poses a risk to damaging the oral cavity a mouth guard is strongly advised. Mouth guards help prevent broken or chipped teeth, nerve damage to teeth, tooth loss, as well as soft tissue damage around gums, lips and tongue. Accidents do occur while playing sports and it is best to protect your teeth by wearing a mouth guard during a game or practice.   A mouth guard will lower the risk of injuries to the mouth by absorbing shock from an impact. Custom mouth guards made by your dentist allows for the best fit. A dentist will take molds of your teeth, then using the molds and a special mouth guard material, your dentist or a professional lab will create a custom mouth guard that fits perfectly to your teeth. It would be specific to your mouth. Due to the perfect fit custom guards are the most comfortable and provide the highest protection. They are durable, tear...

All teeth are important to replace, but we cannot forget the teeth we don’t see. Back teeth are called molars. They are robust, strong and built to take the brunt of the chewing forces. They also support the cheeks. So what happens when you are missing the back teeth? The forces from chewing are distributed to the teeth in front. It’s like having a house without the support frame. Front teeth are single rooted and not made to endure chewing forces for long periods of time. They tend to wear down faster and get loose over time without back teeth. Also, the cheeks tend to collapse in which can be esthetically unpleasing. Replacement options for missing back teeth are: Implants Bridges Removable partial denture Combination of above treatment   Options for replacing back teeth can vary depending on which teeth are missing. It’s important to have a consult with a dental professional. Call Dr. Buss today for an...