Protect Your Smile from Sports Injuries with Customized Mouthguards
Sports are an excellent way to stay active, build teamwork, and enjoy a healthy lifestyle. However, with the excitement of the game comes the risk of injury, especially to your teeth, gums, and other oral structures. Westwood Dentistry wants you to enjoy your favorite sports without worrying about dental injuries. Drs. Monica Anand and Anshuman Rawat recommend using a custom-fitted sports mouthguard to shield your smile and keep you in the game.
Do you need an athletic mouthguard in Westwood, Massachusetts? Welcome to our office for high-quality mouthguards. Whether you participate in football, rugby, skiing, or other risky sports, we offer personalized solutions for every smile.
What are the sports mouthguard options?
An athletic mouthguard creates a protective barrier between teeth to reduce the frequency and severity of sports injuries. Made from resilient yet comfortable and safe materials, a mouthguard absorbs the shock from a blow to the face, reducing the risk of broken teeth, injuries to your lips, tongue, or jaw, and even concussions.
Several types of mouthguards are available in the market, and understanding their differences is crucial for protecting your smile.
- Stock mouthguards: These dental guards are available in most sporting goods stores. They are the least expensive and offer the least protection. Stock mouthguards are available in generic sizes, usually small, medium, and large. They aren’t fabricated with the specifications of your dentition, so they offer a poor, uncomfortable fit. They are bulky, so they must be kept in place by biting them down, impeding speech and breathing.
- Boil and bite mouthguards: Mouth-formed mouthguards are made from a thermoplastic material that becomes moldable when exposed to high temperatures. They are put in hot water and then inserted into the mouth to form the shape of the dentition. While these mouthguards provide better protection than stock appliances, they may not cover all the back teeth, leaving you vulnerable to injuries.
- Customized mouthguards: These are the appliances you’ll likely find in a dental office. They are created after taking an intraoral scan of your jaw and bite. Personalized mouthguards tick all the boxes for retention, comfort, adaptation, and protection. Because of their snug fit, they support the optimal oral function of breathing and speaking.
Why do mouthguards matter?
Dental injuries are the most frequent type of injury sustained during sports, and they can be extremely costly to treat. For instance, individuals who lose a tooth that is not replanted or preserved may incur lifetime maintenance costs of around $15,000 per tooth and spend numerous hours in the dental chair. These injuries can also result in other dental problems, including gum disease and TMJ pain.
According to the ADA, mouthguards prevent around 200,000 injuries yearly in college and high school football alone. A well-fitted mouthguard protects your smile from dental injuries and saves you from the high costs of restorative treatments.
Do you need a personalized mouthguard?
A good mouthguard is tear-resistant, odorless, protective, and comfortable. Westwood Dentistry offers superior mouthguards to ensure you don’t shy away from your favorite sports because of the fear of injuries. Contact us today at (781) 514-6443 to learn how we can help you stay in the game and protect your oral health.
