Mouthguards

Have you ever thought about how it would feel if you lost a front tooth? You might be embarrassed or self-conscious, plus the gap could impact your ability to speak or eat.

If your child is active in sports, we highly recommend a custom-made mouthguard. According to the American Dental Association, an athlete is 60 times more likely to suffer a mouth injury when not wearing a mouthguard. Chipping or knocking out a tooth is an expensive price to pay for a game. The cost of treating a knocked-out permanent tooth, including the follow-up care, is between $5,000 and $20,000, the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation estimates.

Types of Mouthguards

All mouthguards are not created equal. Here are three types which vary based on the level of protection and comfort they provide.

• Custom-fitted mouthguards: Your dentist works with you to create a mouthguard that provides maximum safety and comfort. It will be durable, easy to clean, tasteless and odorless and won’t restrict your breathing or ability to speak. The FIERCE™ mouthguard ranges from less than $100 to $300, depending on the level of sport-specific protection.
• Boil and bite mouth protectors: These can be bought at many stores. They are made of a special plastic that you place in hot water to soften before placing the protector in your mouth to shape it to your teeth. Unfortunately, they may fail to cover the wearer’s teeth and jaws adequately, which compromises the amount of protection provided.
• Pre-made stock mouth protectors: These are inexpensive and can be bought at most sporting goods and department stores. However, they’re bulky and can make breathing and talking difficult. Dentists don’t recommend their use.

Mouthguards Recommended For 25 Sports

The National Youth Sports Safety Foundation predicts more than 3 million teeth will be knocked out in youth sporting events each year. The American Dental Association recommends athletes wear mouthguards for 25 sports- and some of them might surprise you: