Custom Mouthguards – do I need one?
Footy season has started…
Ask anyone who has had trauma or injury to their teeth, and they will surely say that they wish it hadn’t happened! Dental trauma can be severe and have lifelong implications for the individual concerned.
The easiest way to prevent these injuries if you play a contact sport, is to have a custom mouthguard made by a dentist. Just ask Elliot Yeo, the unfortunate West Coast Eagles player had both of this front teeth knocked out as he wasn’t wearing a mouthguard at the time. All the trauma, pain and money trying to fix the teeth could have been so easily prevented.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHEMIST MOUTHGUARDS AND CUSTOM MOUTHGUARDS?
- ‘Boil and bite’ mouthguards from chemists are simply softened in hot water and pushed onto the teeth. As they aren’t made from a mould of the teeth, they don’t fit as well.
- Poor fitting ‘boil and bite’ mouthguards may not adequately protect the teeth and they may still be damaged. Custom mouthguards are made to fit your teeth only, so they fit the best.
- There are different specifications of mouthguard types and thicknesses. Your dentist can discuss what sport you play to make sure you have a proper mouthguard for your sport. Some sports are more high impact, and therefore require a double thickness mouthguard. These specifications are not possible with a ‘boil and bite’ mouthguard.
