Protect Your Kids Teeth with Custom Sports Mouthguards
While it might not make a big difference in their game, a custom made sports mouthguard may make a big difference in keeping your child out of the dentist’s office, especially since the National Youth Sports Foundation estimates that over 5 million teeth get knocked out every year during kids’ sporting activities. And these dental related injuries affect all age groups, including elementary age children to high school and college level athletes.
Compared to the lifetime rehabilitation cost of replacing a missing tooth (or teeth), the preventative $55 cost for a PlaySafe custom laminated, professional grade mouth guard offers great insurance.
Dental injuries in general could be significantly reduced if kids (and adults!) wore custom mouth guards when they play in sports.
What Sports Should Include a Mouthguard?
Sports mouthguards offer plenty of protection for both organized and recreational sports.
- Basketball (mouthguards are not typically worn, even for recreational pick-up games, but, according to studies, 34% of all basketball injuries are tooth and/or oral cavity related.)
- Soccer
- Softball
- Baseball
- Rollerblading
- Skateboarding
- Mountain Biking
- Hockey
- Martial Arts
- Football
- Lacrosse
- Horseback Riding
- Rugby
- Volleyball
Custom Dental Mouthguards vs Store Bought
There are actually some significant differences when comparing a custom sports mouthguard, fabricated by your dentist, to a stock, boil and bite, type mouthguard found in sporting goods stores.
Because boil and bite mouth guards do not fit as accurately, or as snug, as custom fabricated types, these mouthguards are often uncomfortable to wear or they interfere with the athletes ability to breath or speak.
There is also some concern that these boil and bite mouth guards do not provide the necessary thickness to protect teeth compared to custom mouthguards. During the customization, a store bought guard’s thickness may decrease when the athlete initially bites into it, which may compromise the protection the guard can provide.
Playsafe Custom Sport Mouth Guards
North Seattle Dental offers a variety of PlaySafe sports mouthguards in an assortment of colors. These mouthguards vary by sport and by the athlete’s age. Depending upon the sport, PlaySafe mouthguards offer 1-3 laminated layers of protection and are custom made by moulds taken of the patient’s upper and lower teeth.
Our dentists custom fabricate every mouthguard to precisely fit to the conforms of each patient’s teeth and jaw to help ensure proper protection and comfort.
When it comes to both tooth protection and oral comfort, a custom fit sports mouth guard is a small price to pay.
Schedule a consultation today to learn more about getting a sports mouthguards for your kids, or for yourself.