No matter what your sport, play it safe and use protective equipment to avoid injuries to your face and mouth. While mouth guards are mandatory for high-contact sports like football and hockey, a majority of mouth injuries in children ages 7-14 often occur while skateboarding or riding a bike, or while playing basketball or volleyball. The American Dental Association estimates that the use of a mouth guard prevents 200,000 injuries each year. Broken or lost teeth are the most common mouth injuries, but accidents also cause:
- Fractured jaws
- Jaw-joint problems
- Dislocated jaws
- Concussions
There are three common types of mouth guards:
- Stock mouth guards are bought off-the-shelf, allow no modifications, and offer little to no protection.
- Boil-and-bite mouth guards fit a little better but lack enough material to provide critical support and protection.
- Custom-made mouth guards from our dentists are the best solution for maximum protection. They also allow for better breathing ability, easier communication and are generally more comfortable and more durable (so you’ll have fewer replacements).
It only takes two appointments to fit your custom mouth guard—it’s easy, fast, and painless. At your first appointment, we take impressions of your upper and lower teeth. Then, using these impressions, we make a model and send it to our laboratory where they create your custom mouth guard. A few days later at your second visit, we’ll fit and adjust your mouth guard to make sure it’s comfortable.
Call Broadway Dental today to learn more about our custom athletic mouth guards and set up your appointment.
