do i need a sports guard oshawa dentist
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Play Sports? You Should Wear A Sports Guard.

Sports guards are essential to wear to prevent tooth and mouth trauma. Sports guards act as cushions between the teeth to absorb forces from trauma and avoid tooth-on-tooth breakage. Sports guards are mouth guards used for contact sports such as football, hockey and basketball, where there is potential trauma from an object or another person. Two main types of sports guards are available: professionally made sports guards and over-the-counter sports guards. 

Professionally Made Custom Sports Guards 

These are the gold standard of sports guards and offer the best protection for the teeth, jaw and face. Impressions of your teeth are taken in a dental office and sent to a dental lab. A custom-made sports guard is fabricated precisely for your teeth at the dental lab.

Sometimes this service will be provided for an entire sports team at one location when a dental professional arrives to take the dental impressions. This ensures the team as a whole gets properly fitted sports guards. Professionally made sports guards fit uniquely to each individual’s mouth to offer the best protection without slippage or loosening. Sports guards should fit snugly to the teeth. 

Over-the-Counter Sports Guards 

This type of sports guard is typically called a boil and bite sports guard and is only recommended for children whose mouths are still growing and changing. A professionally made sports guard would be outgrown or rendered ineffective for a child with a growing mouth or dentition.

This sports guard requires boiling the guard to soften the material and then biting into it, leaving an impression of the teeth. It doesn’t fit exactly to the teeth but at least offers more protection than not wearing a sports guard at all.  

Important Considerations

  • If you notice your sports guard cracking or chipping, it is time to have a new sports guard made. 
  •  If you can pop the sports guard out with your tongue, it is not tight enough to your teeth and may need to be adjusted or remade.
  • Clean your sports guard with a separate toothbrush after each use and store it in a mouth guard container.
  • Never use hot water on your sports guard while cleaning it, as it may warp the shape and affect the fit.

If you think you can benefit from a professionally made sports guard or have any questions about how they work or how they are made, we encourage you to contact us today to schedule an appointment.

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