Stephen David Smith, D.M.D.

Dr. Smith has been providing oral appliances to patients for over 30 years. He has researched, designed, and published a number of unique modifications for TMJ, sleep apnea, and athletic protection/performance as the individual need arises

Mouthguards/personal protection equipment items are used in contact sports to prevent concussions, orofacial, jaw/TMJ and teeth injury. They are made from individual dental full arch impressions/casts. The models of the maxilla and mandible are referred to the laboratory for fabrication to our specifications. Depending upon the level of contact intensity, multiple- laminated layers are used to reinforce the shock zones to cushion blows and jarring.

Contact Sports: Maxillary guards are for football, basketball, baseball, wrestling, lacrosse, soccer. A strap attachment can be fused to the mouthguard with break-away release, for the helmeted sports. Extra thickness highly dense multi- layered material is designed for the heavy contact sports: boxing, kick boxing, ice hockey, field hockey, martial arts. These are where blows to the face and jaw are anticipated. A variety of colors/multiple styles can be custom selected.

Non-Contact Sports such as track & field, bowling, skiing, golf, tennis, swimming, weight lifting, gymnastics can allow for a lower arch mouthpiece. This provides easier speech, less bulk. There are a number of design options. Design is dictated by the level of protection needed.

Performance: Much publicity is being drawn to "new findings" relating the jaw/posture and TMJ and associated muscles to increased strength. The finding that performance can be enhanced by a properly designed mouthguard/mouthpiece is not a new discovery. Published research in this field goes back to the 1970's, with a number of dentists observing their patient, who reported increased strength, fatigue resistance, and greater work capacity after treatment with oral splints. An early publication on this field was by Stephen D. Smith, D.M.D.: "Monograph: Dentistry in Sports Medicine". Further research has garnered more light on the TMJ-Jaw/performance connection. Pivotal posterior, balanced molar support and freedom from TMJ stress are critical elements of a successful design to maximize patient/athlete benefit. Statistics have been compiled in all areas of sports showing "before vs. after". Results reported are improvement in lift/jump capacity, better scores, less energy output, increased weight/lifting capacity, longer driving in golf, faster running and swimming times, etc. Strength/output, endurance improvement are testimonials from patients/athletes receiving these types of professionally custom made appliances.

Lateral Skull-Facial Profile X-Ray of Structures protected from Trauma: TMJ and Jaw is cushioned, with concussion/ brain trauma protection from impact and injury.
Panoramic X-Ray of Jaw/Teeth Structures. Protective space between teeth and upper/lower jaw is covered with mouthguard layering.

Our office provides the services in designing and fitting mouthpieces: from the professional athlete to the college level player, to the everyday sports enthusiast who wants a performance "boost".

A few applications are shown:

Store-bought stock tray or "boil and bite" mouthguard: These are low cost items and provide a service to the public of protection, particularly for team sports and for the mixed dentition/teenagers. The issue of comfort, bulk and precise fit is a variable. The patient does his/her own home- fitting and oral adjustments, and replaces the mouthguard seasonally.
Custom-fitting mouthguard/mouthpiece: These are made through the dental office and laboratory, and involve more time, expense, and professional expertise. Impressions are done after a dental examination and prophylaxis/ cleaning, and models made. The specific sports requirements/requests are assessed individually. A bite registration is made. This may be modified depending on the patient/athletes jaw pattern and correlated to the maximum intercuspal neuromuscular position. Kinesiologic muscle testing may help verify the best anticipated bite registry. The design incorporates dental physiology, dental stress reduction, including compensating for missing or malpositioned teeth. Laboratory fabrication and processing from the plaster models is done from the specific prescription by the dentist. At return visit, the appliance is inserted and any adjustments made, including final tuning/ precision adjusting of the biting surface to a maximum strength position. This applies to both an upper or lower mouthguard/mouthpiece. At delivery, long-term care and maintenance is discussed.
Full maxillary Custom Mouthguard, multi-layered:
Lower Mouthpiece/ Oral Orthosis for non-contact sports:

A major reason to have a qualified dentist involved in the design and delivery of sports mouthpieces is the professional dental consultation and examination. The dentist can advise the patient of any other related findings, dental/periodontal disease, TMJ or jaw/ bone problems.