Whether your activity of choice is hockey, football, baseball or soccer, it is vital to invest in a quality sports mouth guard. A good guard will help provide protection for your teeth, jaws, lips, cheeks and gums. Essentially, a mouth guard will absorb and redistribute the forces generated by a traumatic blow during play.
If you are thinking about joining a sports team, or enrolling your children in one, you will want to go the extra mile and purchase a custom-made mouth guard supplied by your dentist. Sure, you can go with a boil and bite generic guard found at most sporting goods stores, however, typically they flop around in your mouth and you must clench to hold them in place. If you are participating in a high-energy game, the last thing you want is an uncomfortable mouth guard distracting you.
The first thing to do is book an appointment with your dentist. Several questions must be addressed before a custom mouth guard can be produced. These include:
- Is the mouth guard designed for a particular sport being played?
- What is the age of the athlete and is there a possibility of providing space for erupting teeth (for ages 6-12)?
- Will the design of the mouth guard be appropriate for the level of competition being played?
- Does the patient have any history of previous dental injury, thus needing additional protection in any specific area?
- Is the athlete undergoing orthodontic treatment?
- Does the patient have cavities and/or missing teeth?
Custom mouth guards are regarded as the most protective and comfortable type of guard; as it only fits the athlete it was made for. They fulfill all the criteria for adaptation, retention, comfort and stability of material. They do not interfere with speaking and studies have shown that the custom-made sports mouth guards have zero effect on breathing.
The philosophy at Orchard Heights Dental Centre is simple: to provide the highest quality of dental care in a comfortable and caring atmosphere. Their team of professionals provide a wide variety of dental services, including custom-made sports mouth guards. For more information, visit www.orchardheightsdental.ca.
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