If you or your child play sports, you need a sports mouthguard. Dr. Adam Carraway provides custom sports mouthguards as a preventive dental care treatment to his patients in Greer, SC. Mouthguards are worn to protect the teeth during contact sports, including football, lacrosse, soccer, and basketball. Sports mouthguards are required for any sport where there is a chance of contact between players.
Wearing a mouthguard protects the teeth from injury and even loss.
Benefits of Custom Sports Mouthguards
Sports mouthguards not only protect the teeth from injury and loss. They can also reduce stress on the neck, protect the lower jaw, and minimize the risk of injuring the soft tissues in the mouth. Compared to store-bought mouthguards, professionally-made mouthguards are less likely to fall out during a game. Custom sports mouthguards conform to the teeth and feel comfortable to wear. Professional mouthguards also allow wearers to speak clearly.
Store-bought mouthguards are designed to be one size fits all. But this usually means that they don’t really fit anyone. You have to clench your mouth constantly to keep them in your mouth. You can’t communicate with your team or take quick water breaks without taking out your mouthguard. Constant clenching can also contribute to developing TMJ disorders. It puts stress on your jaw joint, causing it to deteriorate.
Receiving a Professional Mouthguard
To create a custom sports mouthguard, we take custom dental impressions to ensure that the mouthguard will fit properly. We send the dental impressions to a local dental lab where the mouthguard is fabricated. Once the mouthguard is complete, we will make sure that it fits and feels comfortable.
Sports mouthguards can be cleaned with warm water and soap. Avoid washing your mouthguard with hot water because this can warp the plastic. After the mouthguard is clean, it can be stored in its ventilated case.
Can Sports Mouthguards Treat TMJ?
Some patients may think that sports mouthguards can be worn to combat symptoms of TMJ disorders because they are similar to night guards. However, this is untrue. Professional sports mouthguards are made of a different material that is thicker than night guard material. Night guards are used to keep the teeth in the proper position and prevent them from grinding together. Sports mouthguards protect the teeth from injuries during sports. If you grind your teeth at night, call us to receive a night guard.
Sports mouthguards are made of a thicker, lighter material. They’re a bit bulkier and are designed to absorb shocks and trauma. Night guards are made of a thinner material and are very form-fitting. They prevent the teeth from grinding together, but they’re not meant to absorb shocks. If you wear either of these mouthguards to treat a condition that’s not what they’re meant for, you can damage both your teeth and the guard itself.
Contact Our Dental Office Today
Do you need a new sports mouthguard for this upcoming season? Call Carraway Family and Cosmetic Dentistry at 864.268.7812. You may also schedule a dental appointment with Dr. Carraway on our website.