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The Mouthguard

“Sports injuries occur not only in contact sports, but also in individual activities such as bicycling, skating, gymnastics and especially on trampolines. Each sport predisposes its participants to a specific array of risk factors…In contact sports, the absence of protective equipment such as headguards and mouthguards is a major risk factor.” – U.S. Surgeon General’s Report

  1. What is a mouthguard?
  2. What protection does a mouthguard provide?
  3. Which injuries can be prevented?
  4. How is a custom-made mouthguard designed by the dentist?
  5. What are the characteristics of a good mouthguard?
  6. What other mouthguards are available?

 
1. What is a mouthguard?

  • A mouthguard is a flexible plastic shield that is worn over the upper teeth.
    It is used to protect the upper and lower teeth from impact injuries.

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2. What protection does a mouthguard provide?

  • It is designed to protect and support the teeth and gums.
  • The lower teeth are protected from being damaged by any upward force to the lower jaw.

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3. Which injuries can be prevented?

  • A mouth guard can prevent damage to the teeth, gums, jaws, jaw joints, neck, and even to the brain.
  • In the event of a hard blow, it can prevent concussion and reverberation damage.

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4. How is a custom-made mouthguard designed by the dentist?

  • A custom-made or professional mouthguard is available from a dentist.
  • The design of the mouthguard will be influenced by the following considerations:
    • The condition of the mouth and teeth.
    • The age and stage of tooth development of the wearer.
    • The design may need to allow for orthodontic braces or erupting teeth.
    • A particular sport may need a guard made of a heavier and more protective material.
  • The procedure is as follows:
    • The dentist takes impressions of the upper and lower teeth.
    • These are sent to the dental technician together with any other relevant information.
    • The technician makes a cast from the dentist’s impression.
    • The mouthguard is “custom-made” by being moulded over this cast of the wearer’s teeth.
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Cast and mouthguard
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Mouthguard
(custom-made)
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Mouthguard in use

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5. What are the characteristics of a good mouthguard?

  • A good mouthguard will have the characteristics listed below:
    • It must have a tight fit to ensure that it cannot be easily dislodged.
    • It must be flexible, to cushion the force of an impact.
    • It should have a minimal effect on breathing and speech.
    • It must not be too bulky as this would hinder breathing and speech.
    • It must be comfortable and fully protective.
  • Mouthguards can be made for wearers of all ages, whatever their stage of dental development.
  • The professional made-to-measure mouthguards are generally preferable to those bought off the shelf.

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6. What other mouthguards are available?

  • Mouthguards can be bought off the shelf from sports shops and drug stores or pharmacies.
  • They are available in various sizes, and come ready made.
  • These are usually the “boil and bite” type of mouthguards.
    • These are softened in hot water, and then placed into the mouth for shaping.
    • The instructions are easy to follow, but these mouthguards can be bulky and are not always tight fitting.
  • Others come in a kit form with a tray or shell for taking your own impression of your teeth. It includes the plastic material for the do-it-yourself, “custom-made” mouthguard.
    • This allows the soft material to be placed into the tray and pushed up over the upper teeth.
    • The soft plastic material then hardens and the mouthguard is formed.
    • Trimming is needed as well as some do-it-yourself ( D.I.Y.) skills.
    • The result can be good.
  • All these alternatives have the advantage of being cheaper than the mouthguards from by the dentist.
  • We recommend the professional mouthguard.
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“Boil and bite”
mouthguard
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“Boil and bite”
mouthguard in use
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Junior mouthguard

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