Dental News Articles

By Dr. Derek Mahony info@derekmahony.com www.derekmahony.com It is widely accepted in the dental community that mouthguards reduce injuries in sport, and the most effective mouthguard is that traditionally made indirectly on a model. These mouthguards are made from an impression of the teeth, soft tissues, and fitted predominantly to the upper teeth. The prescription of sports mouthguards, to a person who is undergoing orthodontic treatment, is a difficult situation to apply traditional indirect mouthguard construction methods. Traditionally made mouthguards are expensive to produce, very time consuming to fit in the orthodontic practice, and the materials used for indirect traditional mouthguards cannot be easily refitted, by the Orthodontist, or by the patient.

By Dr. Derek Mahony info@derekmahony.com The primary objective of orthodontic treatment is the movement of teeth into a more ideal relationship, not only for aesthetic, but also for functional considerations.  Another very important objective, often not given enough consideration, is the need to finish the case with the muscles of mastication in equilibrium.  If muscle balance is not achieved,  an endless procession of retainers, is required for retention.  In simple terms, if the occlusal forces in maximum intercuspation are unevenly distributed around the arch, tooth movement will most likely occur.  However, today it is possible to precisely measure the relative force of each occlusal contact, the timing of the occlusal contacts and specific muscle contraction levels, all simultaneously.  This technological breakthrough represents a new opportunity for orthodontists everywhere.