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Know more about your Dental
treatment and the methods of
dental treatment.
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Mouth Guards
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Anyone who participates in a sport that carries a significant risk
of injury should wear a mouth protector. Sports like basketball,
baseball, gymnastics, and volleyball all pose risks to your gum
tissues, as well as your teeth. We usually think of football and
hockey as the most dangerous to the teeth, but nearly half of
sports-related mouth injuries occur in basketball and baseball.
A mouth guard can prevent serious injuries such as concussions,
cerebral hemorrhages, incidents of unconsciousness, jaw fractures
and neck injuries by helping to avoid situations where the lower jaw
gets jammed into the upper jaw. Mouth guards are effective in moving
soft issue in the oral cavity away from the teeth, preventing
laceration and bruising of the lips and cheeks, especially for those
who wear orthodontic appliances.
Mouth protectors, which typically cover the upper teeth, can cushion
a blow to the face, minimizing the risk of broken teeth and injuries
to the soft tissues of the mouth. If you wear braces or another
fixed dental appliance on your lower jaw, a mouth protector is
available for these teeth as well.
A properly fitted mouth protector may be especially important for
people who wear braces or have fixed bridge work. A blow to the face
could damage the brackets or other fixed orthodontic appliances. A
mouth protector also provides a barrier between the braces and your
cheek or lips, limiting the risk of soft tissue injuries. Although
mouth protectors typically only cover the upper teeth, your dentist
or orthodontist may suggest that you use a mouth protector on the
lower teeth if you have braces on these teeth too. If you have a
retainer or other removable appliance, do not wear it during any
contact sports.
Types of mouth guards
There are three types of mouth protectors:
Stock - Inexpensive and come pre-formed, ready to wear.
Unfortunately, they often don't fit very well. They can be bulky and
can make breathing and talking difficult.
Boil and bite - Can be bought at many sporting goods stores and
may offer a better fit than stock mouth protectors. They should be
softened in water, then inserted and allowed to adapt to the shape
of your mouth. If you don't follow the directions carefully you can
wind up with a poor-fitting mouth protector.
Custom-fitted - Made by your dentist for you personally. They
are more expensive than the other versions, but because they are
customized, they can offer a better fit than anything you can buy
off the shelf. |
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