Why a Sports Guard?
Sports guards play a crucial role in protecting more than just your teeth. They help shield fixed dental work, such as bridges, and prevent injuries to the soft tissues inside your mouth. Whether you’re playing a contact sport or an activity that involves falls or flying equipment, a properly fitted sports guard is a smart and important investment. While over-the-counter options offer some protection, a custom-made sports guard from your dental team ensures the best fit, comfort, and level of protection.
So What Are Your Options?
Stock Sports Guards
These come pre formed and ready to wear. You can find them in sporting goods stores. While convenient, they often do not fit well, can feel bulky in your mouth, and may make it difficult to breathe or talk. Athletes often find them distracting and may remove or adjust the guard during play.
Boil and Bite Sports Guards
These come in a kit with instructions. You boil the guard in water and then bite into it to mold it to your teeth. These guards offer a better fit than stock guards but may still feel uncomfortable, bulky, or make it difficult to breathe or talk. If you experience these issues, a custom guard may be a better choice.
Custom Made Mouth Guards
This is our preferred option for good reason. A custom made mouthguard provides the best fit and the most comfort. With a sports guard made just for you, you get the best protection. And if it’s not perfectly comfortable? We’re here to adjust it until it’s just right.
Contact us today
to schedule an initial consultation & exam.
Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While both mouthguards and nightguards are designed to fit snugly over your teeth, they serve different purposes. Sports guards protect your mouth from impact, while nightguards focus on your bite and the positioning of your teeth and jaw.
These are all different names for the same thing: a device worn over your teeth that helps protect them from injury or reduces the severity of an injury.
Ideally, sports guards should be replaced after each sports season. Mouthguards wear down over time, especially if the wearer chews on them or misuses them. Teeth also shift as children and adolescents grow, so the fit may change. Many athletes choose to get a new sports guard during their routine six month checkup.
A custom fit sports guard should feel comfortable and fit securely in your mouth. It should be easy to breathe and talk. If you find yourself adjusting or removing the guard during a game, it may not fit properly.
Any sport or activity where you might fall, collide with other players, or be hit by a ball or equipment. Sports like football, hockey, lacrosse, baseball, soccer, field hockey, water polo, cricket, ringette, curling, skateboarding, gymnastics, mountain biking, wrestling, boxing, and any other contact or high risk sport all benefit from wearing a sports guard.
Yes! It is especially important to wear a sports guard if you have braces. Not only does it protect your teeth, but it also shields your braces and the inside of your lips and cheeks in case of a facial impact.
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