Does my child need a MOUTHGUARD?
YES! Children should have a mouth guard when playing a contact sport, such as football, soccer, and hockey etc. A mouth guard will not only protect your child’s teeth, but it will also protect the child’s soft tissue, tongue and lips. There are several different types of mouth guards available:
Stock Mouth Guards – This type of mouth guard can be found in many stores such as drugstores. They are inexpensive, and come as one size fits all products. Because these mouth guards are not customized to fit your child, this type of guard does not generally fit well, and can be lost during injury. When an athlete uses their mouths to speak or breath these, generally poor-fitting appliances will fall out. For these reasons, we do not recommend “store bought” mouth guards.
Boil and Bite Guards – This type of mouth guard is also found in stores, and is made of a type of material that is heated and becomes pliable. The mouth guard is placed in hot water and softened, and then placed in the athlete’s mouth. There are limitations with this type of guard because if not shaped properly, this type of mouth guard can be very bulbous and difficult to wear.
Custom Mouth Guards – This type of mouth guard is fabricated in our office, and is customized to fit your child’s mouth. We take impressions of your child’s teeth, and then create the guard from these models. Among all of the types of available mouth guards, this type has the best fit and provides the most comfort, and the best protection against injury.