Mouthguards
At Capstone Dental, we make custom fitted mouthguards for our patients because they offer superior protection for your teeth, jaw and head while playing sports
Customised Sports Mouthguards help to reduce tooth injury and damage
What are custom fitted mouthguards?
Custom fitted mouthguards are constructed and fitted to the shape of your mouth by a dental professional. These mouthguards have been proven to reduce the number and severity of mouth injuries in sport and during training.
The advantages of custom fitted mouthguards include
- Fit snugly and be comfortable
- Allow normal breathing and swallowing
- Allow the wearer to speak
- Be odourless and tasteless
- Be thick enough (3-5mm) to provide protection against impact
- Providing the most superior protection for your teeth
Why should I wear a custom fitted mouthguard?
According to the Australian Society of Orthodontists, dental-related injuries are some of the most common experienced by athletes. And only just a third of children aged 5-17 wear mouthguards while playing sports. Mouthguards are commonly used to protect the teeth from damage during physical activity.
If you play any kind of physical sport that may involve injuries β such as rugby, hockey, netball, basketball and martial arts β you should consider wearing a mouthguard. It acts like a helmet for your teeth, and also works to protect your jaw by absorbing the shock of any physical impacts. By proxy, the mouthguard can also offer support to the head and brain in case you get hit in the jaw even if youβre wearing a helmet, which is why you usually see boxers wearing mouthguards.
Many teenagers play sports and also wear braces for orthodontic treatment. It is still possible to wear a mouthguard over the braces and is actually very important to protect both your teeth and the braces themselves.
What are the differences between custom fitted mouthguards and the premade ones from the shops?
The preformed stock mouthguards or boil and bite mouthguards that you find at the pharmacies and shops, while being affordable, offer little protection and comfort for the wearer.
The Australian Dental Association says βself-fitted, over-the-counter mouthguards, which include what are commonly known as boil-and-bite mouthguards, should not be used. They do not protect the teeth, are loosely fitted, impede breathing and speaking, and can even wedge in the back of the throat at impact which could be life threatening.β
Note that mouthguards do not last forever, as regular use will wear them down. If you wear one, you may need to replace it every 6-12 months depending on use.