It’s that time of year again – not long until children in secondary and primary schools head back to the classroom for Autumn term, and with Autumn term comes the return of certain contact and non-contact sports that require a mouthguard. Make sure your child has a custom made protective mouthguard before term begins to fully protect their teeth.
What type of sports require a mouthguard?
It is principally contact sports that require a mouthguard but there are exceptions such as squash, horse riding and cricket that can also cause injuries such as the upper and lower teeth clashing together, teeth becoming chipped or teeth falling out and lacerations.
- Rugby
- Squash
- Cricket
- Boxing
- Karate
- Hockey
- Horse riding
- American football
How important are orthodontic mouthguards?
The sports listed above can cause irrevocable damage to teeth if they are left unprotected. Orthodontic mouthguards cost a little more than their over-the-counter (OTC) counterparts but they are a vital investment into your child’s safety and dental health.
Orthodontic mouthguards are custom created to be a perfect fit for your child’s teeth. In contrast, OTC mouthguards are a one-size-fits-all model that leave excess space between the teeth and the guard which renders the teeth susceptible to damage if contact occurs. Orthodontic mouthguards keep the teeth in place when contact is made and are considerably more successful in protecting teeth from more severe knocks.
Custom orthodontic mouthguards are far more resilient to temperature and usage than OTC versions which means they have a significantly longer lifetime. They are created using impressions of your child’s teeth so they will always remain in this shape if properly cared for – this means keeping them out of extreme temperatures, placing back into a box (Park Lane will provide you with one) and cleaning it effectively. Your orthodontist here at Park Lane can help you with this.
If you would like more information about orthodontic mouthguards at Park Lane, please do not hesitate to contact us and we can arrange a consultation for you.