Mouth guards

Mouth guards are intraoral appliances designed to fit one or both dental arches in order to protect against injuries to the teeth, gums and face during sports activities. They are impact-absorbing devices, acting as a cushion between the lower and upper jaw, mitigating the forces of impact to the jaw and lessening the severity of injuries. Mouth protection is especially important for athletes who wear braces, since it prevents both damage to the braces and injuries, caused by the braces themselves (e.g. lip laceration).

Custom-fitted mouth guards developed by a dentist provide the greatest level of protection, more accurate fit, resistance to dislodging, and better comfort since they do not require as much musculature to hold it in place. They also last longer than other types of mouth guards due to their heavy-duty construction. They are fabricated in a variety of styles and thicknesses, depending on the type of sport you are involved in. A dual arch design, locking the lower jaw to the upper jaw, protects the jaw joint (TMJ) from displacement caused by blows to the chin, and possibly resulting in TMJ or brain injury.

Mouth guards are recommended in addition to protective gear (face masks, helmets). Additional levels of protection against dental injuries are also recommended e.g. using a car seat for young children, fastening seat belts, treatment of improper bite (protrusion, open bite) which predisposes to trauma, choosing other than oral piercing forms of self-expression or prevention of obesity predisposing to falls.

• Regular dental check-ups provide your dentist an opportunity to discuss additional age-appropriate preventive strategies.
• 13-39% of dental injuries are related to sports activities.
• An athlete is 60 times more likely to sustain damage to the teeth when not wearing a protective mouth guard.
• Amateur athletes suffer from dental injuries more often than professional athletes.
• More than half of sport accidents are related to ball sports.