Why Mouthguards Make (Financial) Sense

Did you know that April is National Facial Protection Month? As more people get outside in the beautiful spring weather, more patients walk in with a head, mouth or facial injury from a sports-related accident. If you or your child are actively playing sports–even just casually in the neighborhood–those teeth should be protected with a mouthguard!

The American Dental Association states that the risk of athletes losing their teeth while playing sports is much greater without a mouthguard. It is easy to see how quickly this could happen in sports such as wrestling, football, basketball, baseball or softball. At Goldberg Orthodontics, we are big advocates of mouthguards. Here is everything you need to know.

MOUTHGUARDS REDUCE THE RISK OF INJURIES

Dental injuries from sports accidents include chipped teeth, soft-tissue injuries to lips and cheeks or even a broken jaw. OUCH! A properly selected mouthguard is especially important if you have braces, as a facial injury could damage the brackets and/or wires. It also provides a protective barrier between the braces and the cheek or lips, to help avoid injuries to the gums and cheeks. While a mouthguard doesn’t prevent these accidents, it can reduce the level of severity of the problem.

Mouthguards are comfortable to wear and fit directly over the upper teeth, ready to absorb the impact of any hard contact with the mouth. There are several mouthguards available on the market. The one that is right for you depends on your budget and preference. Although most any type of mouthguard offers protection, the more fitted the mouthguard is to your mouth, the better that protection.

Ready-to-Wear:  The least expensive option, ready-to-wear mouthguards often fall out and make breathing and talking difficult. Although some protection is offered, the annoyance of the not-so-perfect fit may increase the risk of injury and frustration, as well as hinder performance.

Boil-and-Bite:  While they don’t provide that perfect fit like a custom-made mouthguard, boil-and-bite guards do offer adequate protection. They are definitely a better choice than a ready-to-wear option. The guard is placed into boiling water to soften the material and then placed in your mouth to create a somewhat custom fit. A boil-and-bite mouthguard can be purchased at any sporting goods store.

Custom-made:  A more expensive option, yes, but these are the most comfortable as they mold perfectly to your teeth. Your dentist takes an impression of your mouth, and the mouthguard is custom-made to fit perfectly over your teeth.

Have more questions about mouthguards, or interested in discussing a custom-fitted mouthguard? Give us a call at (847) 831-1100.