Why Mouthguards Are Important When Playing Sport

Many patients ask why are mouthguards so important?

Every year at the practice I take many calls relating to sporting injuries. Some of the injuries I have witnessed have been moderate to severe. These injuries could have been lessened or avoided if a custom made & fitted mouthguard was worn.

A custom fitted mouthguard not only protects the teeth from a sporting accident but also helps to absorb & spread the impact from a blow to the face or mouth.

During my 8 years working in dental, I have seen many injuries sustained by mouthguards not being worn. Some of these injuries include teeth which have been cleanly knocked out, chipped & broken teeth, fractures or breaks to the jaw & lacerations to the lip, gum or soft tissue. These however only name a few.

In today’s market there are two types of mouthguards available however only one our practice recommends being a custom made & fitted mouthguard. This type of mouthguard will require an appointment with a dentist as plaster dental impressions are required. A custom made mouthguard is far superior than an over the counter mouthguard as it offers a higher level of protection and a far superior fit due to the mouthguard being fabricated from an exact model of your teeth. A custom fitted mouthguard takes 3-7 days to be made.

The second type of mouthguard available is an over the counter mouthguard also known as a boil & bite mouthguard. These are stock mouthguards that do not require fitting by a dentist. This type of mouthguard is placed in hot water and is then self-fitted by biting into it. While a boil and bite mouthguard may be less expensive it is less expensive for a reason. Do not be fooled into thinking it offers you the same level of protection as a custom fitted mouthguard as it does not. A boil and bite mouthguard has a habit of dislodging which is something I would think most of you would want to avoid during a sporting match.

In conclusion, it definitely pays to invest in a custom fitted mouthguard as the cost of an injury to the teeth or jaw far exceeds the cost of the mouthguard.

If you would like further information on mouthguards or would like to book an appointment to have one made please talk to us.

Call our dentist in Perth or book an appointment for a custom fitted mouthguard to protect your teeth.