Columbia, MO dentist provides custom fit athletic mouthguards to prevent dental injuries

If you are passionate for sports, that means you play to win. That also means that you play hard. Participation in sports, in particularly contact sports, brings with it a risk of damage or injury to the teeth. In fact, sports accidents contribute to a large number of knocked out teeth. At the office of Chase Patton D.D.S., we offer custom athletic mouthguards, which are the best defense against accidental dental injury during practice or games.

How athletic mouth guards protect

While the primary function of an athletic mouth guard is to protect the teeth, the protection does not stop there. Mouth guards can reduce the level of force that is transferred from the impact point of the jaw to the brain which reduce the risk of traumatic brain injury.

Athletic mouth guards can also protect against the following:

  • Cheek lacerations
  • Gum injuries
  • Concussions
  • Neck injuries
  • Jawbone fractures
  • Tooth fractures
  • Tongue lacerations

Over the counter athletic mouth guards vs. custom fit athletic mouth guards

If you’ve been into a sporting goods store lately, you may have noticed the one-size-fits-all mouth guards that are readily available. In general, there are three different types:

Stock Mouth Guards – These mouthguards are typically bulky, make it difficult to breathe, and provide very little support.

Boil and Bite Mouth Guards – These are the next level up and considered better than stock. Made of a special type of plastic, these mouth guards must be fully immersed in boiling water to make it pliable enough to make a custom mold of the teeth. While they are better than no protection, they still don’t provide near the protection of custom fit mouthguards.

Custom fit athletic mouth guards – These will fit your mouth well to properly protect it. The guards keep your jaw in proper alignment and can even improve breathing capacity. Custom fit athletic mouth guards can be worn for any sports, whether you are playing football, wrestling, karate, soccer, softball, or more, you can ensure that your mouth is properly protected.

 If you or your child is involved in sports and would like to learn more about custom fit athletic mouth guards, please give us a call at (573) 875-7040.

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