Athletic Mouthguards Cambridge
Save Yourself an Emergency Visit By Protecting Your Smile
Mouthguards, also known as sports guards or athletic mouth protectors, are crucial pieces of equipment for any child participating in potentially injurious recreational or sporting activities. Fitting snugly over the upper teeth, mouthguards in Cambridge protect the entire oral region from traumatic injury, preserving both the esthetic appearance and the health of the smile. In addition, mouthguards are sometimes used to prevent tooth damage in children who grind (brux) their teeth at night. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) in particular, advocates for the use of dental mouthguards during any sporting or recreational activity. Most store-bought mouthguards cost fewer than ten dollars, making them a perfect investment for every parent.
How Can Athletic Mouthguards Protect My Child?
The majority of sporting organizations now require participants to routinely wear mouthguards. Though mouthguards are primarily designed to protect the teeth, they can also vastly reduce the degree of force transmitted from a trauma impact point (jaw) to the central nervous system (base of the brain). In this way, mouthguards help minimize the risk of traumatic brain injury, which is especially important for younger children. Mouthguards also reduce the prevalence of the following injuries:
- Cheek lesions
- Concussions
- Gum and soft tissue injuries
- Jawbone fractures
- Lip lesions
- Neck injuries
- Tongue lesions
- Tooth fractures
What Type of Mouthguard Should I Purchase?
Though there are literally thousands of mouthguard brands, most brands fall into three major categories: stock mouthguards, boil and bite mouthguards, and customized mouthguards. Some points to consider when choosing a mouthguard in Cambridge include:
- How much money is available to spend?
- How often does the child play sports?
- What kind of sport does the child play? (Basketball and baseball tend to cause the most oral injuries).
Types of Mouthguards
In light of these points, here is an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of each type of mouth guard:
Stock mouthguards
These Mouthguards can be bought directly off the shelf and immediately fitted for the child’s mouth. The fit is universal (one-size-fits-all), meaning that that the mouth guard doesn’t adjust. Stock mouthguards are very cheap, easy to fit, and quick to locate at sporting goods stores. Pediatric dentists favor this type of mouth guard least, as it provides minimal protection, obstructs proper breathing and speaking, and tends to be uncomfortable.
Boil and bite mouthguards
These mouthguards are usually made from thermoplastic and are easily located at most sporting goods stores. First, the thermoplastic must be immersed in hot water to make it pliable, and then it must be pressed on the child’s teeth to create a custom mold. Boil and bite mouthguards are slightly more expensive than stock mouthguards, but tend to offer more protection, feel more comfortable in the mouth, and allow for easy speech production and breathing.
Customized mouthguards
These mouthguards offer the greatest degree of protection and are custom-made by the dentist. First, the dentist makes an impression of the child’s teeth using special material, and then the mouthguards is constructed over the mold. Your customized Cambridge mouthguards are going to be a little more expensive and take longer to fit, but are more comfortable, orthodontically correct, and fully approved by the dentist.