Athletic Sports Guards
What is an athletic mouthguard?
An athletic mouthguard is a resilient plastic appliance that is worn to protect your teeth and gum tissues by absorbing the forces generated by traumatic blows during sports or other activities. The American Dental Association estimates that the use of a mouthguard prevents 200,000 injuries each year. Broken or lost teeth are the most common mouth injuries, but accidents also cause
- Fractured jaws
- Jaw-joint problems
- Dislocated jaws
- Concussions
No matter what your sport, play it safe and use protective equipment to avoid injuries to your face and mouth. While mouthguards are mandatory for high-contact sports like football and hockey, a majority of mouth injuries in children ages 7-14 often occur while skateboarding or riding a bike.
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Are there different types of mouthguards?
There are three common types of mouthguards:
- Stock Mouthguards
- Stock mouthguards are bought off-the-shelf and allow no modifications and offer little to no protection.
- Boil-and-Bite Mouthguards
- Boil-and-Bite mouthguards fit a little better but lack enough material to provide critical support and protection.
- Custom-made Mouthguards
- Mouthguards that are custom made by your dentist are the best solution for maximum protection. They also allow for better breathing ability, easier communication and are generally more comfortable and more durable (so you’ll have fewer replacements).
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What’s involved in making a custom mouthguard?
It only takes two appointments to fit your custom mouthguard – it’s easy, fast and painless.
- At your first appointment we take impressions of your upper and lower teeth; it really only takes a few minutes and no tools or shots are involved. Then, using these impressions, we make a model and send it to our laboratory where they create your custom mouthguard.
- A few days later at your second visit, we’ll fit and adjust your mouthguard to make sure it’s comfortable. That’s it!
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How do I find out more about mouthguards?
The dentists at Amerident can provide you with a custom-made athletic mouthguard to ensure maximum protection and the most comfortable fit possible. Call or email us to schedule an appointment.
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