Mouthguards
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Mouthguards
Kids who take part in athletic activities — whether they’re playing on organized sports teams, bicycling, or just kicking a ball around — gain a host of well-documented health benefits. Yet inevitably, along with all the fun, the sense of achievement and the character-building features of athletics, the possibility of injury exists. Does this mean your kids shouldn’t play sports? Of course not! But it makes sense to take appropriate precautions.
Among all the dental injuries we treat in children, it is estimated that over 25% are sports-related, and the majority of these involve the top front teeth.
Besides the immediate trauma, sports-related injuries can result in time lost from school and work, and substantial cost — up to $20,000 over a lifetime to treat a missing permanent tooth. Yet there’s a simple and relatively inexpensive way to reduce the chance of dental injury in children: a properly fitted, comfortable mouthguard to wear while playing sports exists.
All the Right Equipment
What Type of Mouthguard Is Best?
- An “off-the-shelf” mouthguard. Available at many sporting goods stores, this type comes in a limited range of sizes, and varies widely in quality. The least expensive option, it offers a minimal level of protection that’s probably better than nothing. It generally must be clenched in the mouth, which can make wearing it uncomfortable and cause trouble breathing and speaking.
- The “boil and bite” mouthguard. These are designed to be immersed in hot water, and then formed in the mouth using finger, tongue and bite pressure. When they can be made to fit adequately, they generally offer better protection than the first type — but they may still be uncomfortable, and usually fail to offer full coverage of the teeth.
- A custom-made mouthguard. This is a piece of quality sports equipment that is custom fabricated for your child’s mouth. How? Molds or impressions of your child’s teeth will be made and then tough, resilient, high quality materials are perfectly fitted to that impression. This type of mouthguard offers your child maximum protection and a superior level of comfort — and its cost is quite reasonable.
