24 Feb What protection does a custom mouthguard provide?
While living an active lifestyle through sports and other physical activities is important for one’s total well-being, some hobbies, sports, and activities can be quite dangerous. Certain sports and hobbies can greatly increase a patient’s risk for accidental falls, facial trauma, and head injuries. Whether it is a contact sport or a solo hobby that requires vigorous and skilled movement, a custom mouth guard can provide additional peace of mind by protecting the positioning of the jaws, the teeth, and soft oral tissues.
Wearing a custom mouth guard could prevent dislodgment of teeth, lacerations to soft oral tissue, and the need for jaw surgery due to traumatic facial injuries. Custom mouth guards are comfortable and suitable to wear for an array of physical activities. Our oral surgeons provide mouth guards for patients in our community to help prevent the incidence of injuries and the damage they can cause.
Why choose a custom mouth guard?
Some folks may purchase a mouth guard from a sporting goods store or large retailer, but often times, these mouth guards provide less than adequate protection. While some store-bought mouth guards can be slightly altered (by boiling) to fit the mouth, they only come in a few different sizes. A custom mouth guard, on the other hand, is specifically made for a person based on very precise and exact measurements taken by our oral surgeon. Our staff may utilize three-dimensional images or intraoral cameras to determine their proper size and shape.
A custom mouth guard will perfectly and comfortably fit in a patient’s mouth. This will improve the mouth guard’s ability to protect the structures of the mouth as well.
What types of activities and sports require protective gear?
Anyone playing a contact sport such as wrestling or football will benefit from wearing a mouth guard. Vigorous hobbies with high-risks for injuries like skateboarding and off-road cycling can lead to facial and oral trauma if protective appliances like mouth guards, chinstraps, and helmets are not worn.
For additional information or to schedule a consultation, contact our practice at 405-624-1300 today.