Mouthguards protect against injury to the teeth and the jaw. The shape of each person’s mouth and teeth are different, so it makes sense that a one-size-fits-all approach to a mouthguard is not going to give you the protection you need. In fact, a poorly fitted mouthguard can cause even more damage when hit with an intense force. Properly fabricated, custom-fit mouthguards play a significant role in not only preventing dental injuries and injuries to the jaw, but also in reducing concussions, pulpal injury, and the loss of teeth. Mouthguards are used to relieve the stress concentrated on the teeth by absorbing the shock vibrations that cause injury.
Sports injuries can cause lasting damage. It goes beyond just the possibility of losing a tooth. Some jaw and neck injuries can prevent an athlete from ever playing sports again. Getting a serious injury, like a concussion or broken jaw, during these years can drastically change a person’s future. It is estimated that an athlete has over a 50 percent chance of receiving an oral injury during their career in sports. A properly fitted mouthguard is going to reduce the opportunity for injury and the severity of injury.
What Are the Key Benefits of Wearing a Sports Mouth Guard?
- It protects your teeth from suffering trauma.
Should you suffer blows to your face, a sports mouth guard can effectively absorb some of the force. This reduces your chances of getting a tooth broken or knocked out.
- It protects your brain.
If you engage in contact sports, you treat risk of suffering concussions that lead to potential brain injuries. One of the lesser-known benefits of wearing a sports mouth guard is that the device absorbs much of the shock that comes from a direct blow to your jaw. Since it softens the impact, it plays a critical role in protecting your brain.
- It protects your soft tissues.
Athletes or highly active people tend to experience soft tissue injuries while they are giving it their all. Wearing a sports mouth guard ensures your soft tissues’ safety, such as your lips, inner cheeks, tongue, and gums. It keeps your teeth from splitting them open or chomping down on them.
- It protects your braces.
If you are undergoing teeth straightening treatment while you are engaging in any sport, you should consider using a sports mouth guard. Aside from preventing damage to your braces, the protective device also prevents your braces from causing you injury.
A well-fitted mouthguard
A properly fabricated mouthguard covers and protects all the teeth and has an adequate amount of thickness to cushion the jaw. There is ample room between the top and bottom teeth so that if someone is hit in an upwards motion, the teeth are not forced together. It should also protect the front teeth from a frontal blow that can knock the teeth out. It should easily stay in place without much movement, and it should feel comfortable in the mouth while wearing it.
Your dentist will take an impression of your teeth and mouth and create a mouthguard specifically for you. If you have braces or a fixed bridge, the dentist will mould your mouthpiece around them for a precise fit. When you have the braces removed, you will need to get a new impression and a new mouthguard from the dentist.
When it comes to protecting your mouth, a mouthguard is an essential piece of athletic gear that should be part of your standard equipment from an early age.
Oral injury is not something to leave to chance. Yes, you may play over 100 games without incident, but it only takes one time of getting hit the wrong way and you can have a permanent injury. If you need help with getting yourself or your child a custom fit mouthguard, be sure to visit Ringmer Dental before that next game! Call us today on 01273 813898to book a consultation.