Mouthguards are a blessing as it saves you from a lot of face-related injuries. But not all mouthguards provide the same level of protection to your jaw and teeth. For example, if you play sports with a greater risk of facial injury, you may get a custom mouthguard from your dentist. For this reason, you can schedule an appointment with the St. Anthony Dentist.
Why is wearing protection while playing sports important? Which sports players need mouthguards? What are different types of mouthguards? Let’s find out answers to these frequently asked questions.
Importance of Wearing a Mouthguard
Wearing a mouthguard while playing certain sports is important as it protects your teeth and jaw from several mishaps. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), around 25% of dental injuries are due to an impact while playing sports. After all, if your teeth are unprotected near high-speed objects and spirited players, you’re asking for trouble. So it is important to wear a mouthguard to avoid dental injuries.
Sports That Require Mouth Protection
Players who play contact sports require to wear a mouthguard to prevent knock-out teeth, loose teeth, and other dental traumas. These sports include football, hockey, and boxing. You should also wear a mouthguard to play soccer, wrestling, basketball, gymnastics, or volleyball. This is because players in these sports are mostly around high-speed objects and spirited players. Moreover, the chances of falling are greater for players of these sports.
How Mouthguard Works?
Mouthguards are mounted on the upper teeth of players. They work as a protective layer between the player’s teeth and point of contact. This way, it prevents tooth damage when a player gets hit by something on their teeth. However, a mouthguard should endure enough force and resist impacts. So ask your dentist about which type of mouthguard will be best for you.
Types of Mouthguard
There are mainly three types of mouthguards:
- Stock
- Boil & bite
- Custom
Each provides a different level of protection, comfort, and durability, depending on the individual’s requirement.
Stock Mouthguard
A stock mouthguard is the least expensive type. It only comes in one size. Due to this, these mouthguards aren’t very comfortable to wear and provide less protection than their counterparts.
Boil & Bite Mouthguard
Then comes the boil & bite mouthguard. This type is slightly better than the previous one as it provides relatively more comfort and durability. It is made of thermoplastic that gets softened when heated or placed in boiling water. After that, you can wear it by taking a bite.
Custom Mouthguard
The third and last type is a custom mouthguard. These mouthguards are generally considered the best type as they provide superior protection while being comfortable and durable. But you can only get them from your dentist. As the name says, custom mouthguards are customized by your dentist. They do so by taking impressions of your teeth and design them to fit your mouth perfectly. Their downside is that these mouthguards are the least affordable type out of them all. However, most people consider it an investment. This is because treating a knocked-out tooth can be more expensive than taking a preventative measure like this.
Related Posts:
