Occlusal Guard Care and Wear Instructions
Congratulations on your decision to wear a protective occlusal guard. With regular night-time wear of this appliance, you will be greatly diminishing the possibility of fracturing any prior dental restorations and significantly decrease the continued wear of the enamel surfaces of the teeth.
How does the guard work:
By controlling the way the teeth contact the appliance, the occlusal guard not only serves as a physical barrier between the upper and lower teeth, but the biting forces can be distributed over a wide area and selectively decrease the biting forces on specific teeth.
What to expect:
When you initially start to wear the guard, there will be a noticeable increase in saliva which will decrease over time. There will be a tight sensation on the teeth when placing the guard which is necessary for its stability.
Wear schedule:
For the first couple days, wear the guard for a few hours at a time during the day to get accustomed to the fit of the guard, but don't try to wear it at nighttime yet. By the third day, plan to wear the guard at nighttime - you might not make it through the night but over time, the guard should become very comfortable to wear through the night - in many cases more comfortable in than out.
Cleaning and storage:
Brush your guard with the soft bristled tooth brush that we have provided using a nonabrasive soft soap (Dial). Toothpastes can have some abrasives that over time can wear the acrylic. Do not use any denture cleaners or bleach. Keep the guard in the case that we have provided when not in use.
Future maintenance
The occlusal guard should provide you with years of service, but like anything else, will not last forever - how long it lasts is extremely variable. Make sure you bring it in at each of your dental hygiene appointments as we can check the fit/bite and clean it at the same time. Try not to leave the guard out for more than a few days as there can be slight movement of the teeth which can cause a tight feeling when the guard is placed and in some cases can prevent the guard from seating.
Please call if:
You develop muscle soreness or joint discomfort; your bite is uncomfortable with the guard in or out; pressure on the teeth is excessive; you have any questions.
Thank you for placing your trust in our office - we look forward to seeing you soon.
Dr. Gene Rhee and Team