If you or your children play certain sports, having an athletic mouthguard is essential. It’s obvious that some sports require these protective devices. Football, ice hockey, boxing, wrestling are some of the more obvious endeavors. Others not so obvious are basketball, martial arts, racquetball, skateboarding, skiing, skydiving, gymnastics, surfing and more.
For some of those sports listed above, it may seem like a mouthguard is a bit much, however, when you consider that the mouthguard is created to protect against a variety of injuries, it makes sense to have one. This is especially true for youth. With the increase of kids in sports there has also been an increase in unintentional injuries. Nearly 36% of the injuries happen to children and youth. The American Dental Association estimates that 10-20% of those injuries include maxillofacial injuries. An athletic mouthguard can help prevent some of those injuries
Athletic Mouthguards Made to Order
Custom made athletic mouthguards have the advantage of being created to fit exactly the mouth in which they are used. Yes, you could get over-the-counter mouthguards; however, a custom-made athletic mouthguard is going to fit perfectly which means better protection.
Custom Made Mouthguards May Prevent Concussions
One of the most prevalent injuries youth in sports incur is a concussion. These injuries can be mild, or they can be devastating. Researchers have found that football players with OTC mouthguards had a higher rate of mild traumatic brain injuries when compared to those wearing custom-made athletic mouthguards. It seems that the custom-made mouthguards help absorb shock and stabilize the head and neck when there is a direct hit to the jaw.
Protect Your Teeth
Of course, athletic mouthguards will protect your teeth. Custom made mouthguards are going to protect your teeth better because you will have an accurate fit. OTC mouthguards have to be able to fit a variety of mouths; however, one that is made specifically for your own teeth is going to provide much better protection.
A custom made athletic mouthguard is made precisely to fit the wearers teeth, thus they provide optimal comfort as well as safety. They are considerably more durable than those you can buy in the store.
Durable Protection
OTC mouthguards are certainly better than no protection at all; however, custom-made athletic mouthguards provide durable protection. Their durability cannot be compared to OTC mouthguards. Custom made mouthguards may be more expensive than the others however, they will last longer and protect better.
Make an appointment today at Pearland Dental to get your custom made athletic mouthguard. This is one investment in your or your children’s health and wellbeing that you will be glad you made.