Sports guards or athletic mouth protectors are crucial pieces of equipment for any child/adult participating in recreational or sporting activities. Fitting snugly over the upper teeth, mouth guards protect the entire oral region from traumatic injury, preserving both the esthetic appearance and the health of the smile.
You may have noticed different athletes placing a saucer-shaped thing in their mouth before playing. Sports guard are a requirement for boxing, ice-hockey, basketball, and many other sports.
Sports guard cover teeth and gums and make whole dental arch act as one unit and dissipates the impact of any force on multiple teeth and jawbone. Sports guard help reduce the impact of an injury.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) in particular, advocates for the use of dental mouth guards during any sporting or recreational activity
How can sports guards protect my child?
Majority of sporting organizations now require participants to routinely wear mouth guards. Though mouth guards 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, mouth guards help minimize the risk of traumatic brain injury, which is especially important for younger children.
Mouth guards also reduce the prevalence of the following injuries:
- Cheek injuries
- Concussions
- Gum and soft tissue injuries
- Jawbone fractures
- Lip lesions
- Neck injuries
- Tongue lesions
- Tooth fractures
How is the sports guard fabricated?
The dentist will make an impression/mould of your teeth at first visit. At next visit, your sports guard will be ready for you. At the second visit, the dentist will check the fit and give it to you.
Customized sports guards have a perfect fit and results to provide adequate protection. Prefabricated sports guards are loose and do not fit very well.
