Sports Mouth Guard – Injury Prevention
Sports-related dental injuries affect nearly 5 million people annually. A sports mouth guard or athletic mouthguard is can prevent serious injury to the teeth and the soft tissue. The best type of mouthguards is custom-made ones. You can buy sports mouth guards in sporting goods stores or online. These are commonly called boil-and-bite as you have to heat them up in hot water first, then place them in your mouth and bite into them. These mouthguards are typically not very comfortable. They are bulky and make speech and breathing difficult. Our dentist recommends a sports mouthguard to all physically active patients.
Broken Teeth – Facial Trauma
Most common types of problems seen in sports accidents are borken teeth and damage to the surrounding soft tissue. Research has shown that sports enthusiasts are 60% more likely to suffer from dental injuries compared to sedentary individuals.
A sports mouthguard will not prevent an accident from happening. But, it will lessen the damage and trauma caused by the accident. According to recent statistics, the nature and the extent of dental injuries are more severe when not using an athletic mouthguard.
Benefits
The benefits of a professionally made mouthguard are not limited to simply protecting the teeth. Research has also shown that a “balancing” athletic mouthguard can improve physical performance. These types of mouthguards require accurate models of teeth and how they fit together. These are considered an upgrade, but even a normal mouth guard helps prevent serious injury and minimize the damage in severe cases.
Another benefit is easier breathing. Some mouthguards, especially the over-the-counter type, are very bulky. Not only do they interfere with speech, but they also cause problems breathing comfortably. As any athlete knows, being able to breathe comfortably is a major key to success.
Cost of a Mouthguard
For a custom-made mouthguard the cost will depend on the type of material being used. The average range is anywhere from $250 to $450. Mouthguards designed to improve performance (e.g. for the elite athletes) can run anywhere from $500 to upwards of a $1000. Some dental insurances also help in paying for a mouthguard. And this is because in the long run the cost of a mouthguard outweighs that of repairing broken teeth. And nobody understands that than the dental insurance companies.