Kids and adults who play sports run the risk of dental injuries due to impact on the face during practice or a game. A sports mouthguard can’t prevent a ball from hitting you hard in the face, but it can lessen the damage caused by the impact. Sports-related dental injuries can be severe, painful, and expensive. Smile Solutions of Maine can provide you or your child with a sports mouthguard that is customized to fit your mouth.
How Do Mouthguards Protect?
Mouthguards are a dental appliance that protects your face and mouth during contact sports. They are made of soft plastic or laminate, and they fit over your teeth. If you get jabbed in the face, the soft material helps absorb some of the impacts, and it also spreads out the impact over a wider area, preventing a tooth from getting knocked out.
Who Should Wear Mouthguards?
While not many sports require the use of mouthguards, we recommend using them for most types of active sports, including basketball, volleyball, baseball, soccer, football, ice hockey, wrestling, boxing, martial arts, skateboarding, and downhill skiing. People of any age or gender can wear mouthguards. If you have teeth to protect and want to reduce your risk of dental injury during sports or high-contact activity, wear a mouthguard.
What Kind of Injuries Do Mouthguards Prevent?
A mouthguard can prevent the following painful injuries:
- Avulsion. An avulsion is when a tooth is knocked completely out of its socket.
- Fracture. A tooth that has a crack line in it is fractured. This category also describes teeth that have been chipped or broken.
- Luxation. Luxation occurs when a tooth is dislodged from the tissues, ligaments, or bones holding it in place. The tooth is still in the socket, but it may look crooked, longer than the other teeth, or pushed back or forward.
These dental injuries can be very painful, and they require emergency dental procedures. It is much wiser and easier on your wallet to purchase and use a mouthguard to prevent the injury from happening in the first place.
What Types of Mouthguards Are Available?
There are three basic types of mouthguards available.
- Pre-formed Stock Mouthguards. This type is the least expensive option. You can find them in different sizes online or in sporting goods stores, but they are not guaranteed to fit your mouth perfectly, and a poor fit lessens the level of protection. You may also find it uncomfortable.
- Boil and Bite Mouthguards. This type works by boiling it and then biting into the softened guard to form an impression of your teeth in the plastic. It is usually more effective than pre-formed mouthguards but not as high-quality as a customized mouthguard from the dentist.
- Custom-Fitted Mouthguard. This type begins with a trip to Smile Solutions of Maine. The dentist will create an impression of your teeth and gums, and a specially made mouthguard will be created at a dental lab. This is the best option in terms of excellent protection and comfort.
Custom Sports Mouthguards in Waterville and Winthrop, ME
Keep your teeth and mouth safe while playing sports. Schedule an appointment at Smile Solutions of Maine. We will tell you about our custom athletic mouth guard options, make an impression of your mouth, and let you know when your mouthguard is ready to be picked up. You will find that our customized mouthguards are much more comfortable and less bulky than the pre-formed type that you buy at a store. Because they are designed to fit your mouth, they also protect you better. You can even use them with braces. Don’t let a sports injury damage your beautiful smile! Wear a mouthguard whenever you play or practice a contact sport.