Athletic Mouthguards

We recommend athletic mouthguards for all of our sports active patients. The mouth guard is a rubbery or plastic appliance typically covering the teeth in the upper arch. It acts to cushion any traumatic blow to the teeth and redistributes the remaining force over a much larger surface, thereby minimizing the potential for tooth fracture or loss due to traumatic injury. In addition, due to its smooth outer surface, soft tissue injuries (cuts and bruises) to the lips, cheeks, and tongue caused by the incisal edges of the teeth or orthodontic appliances can be significantly reduced or eliminated. Current research indicates the athletic mouthguard can substantially diminish the concussive effects of certain head injuries as well.

Dental injuries are the most common type of facial injury in sports and can occur at any age. Some children exhibit the beginning of eruption of the permanent teeth as early as 5 years of age. Parents should recognize that an injury to the permanent dentition can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars to initially restore, and will usually require multiple recurring treatments throughout the patient’s lifetime. The expense of a quality mouthguard is incidental compared to the potential cost and emotional distress of a dental injury.

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), more than 200,000 oral injuries are prevented each year by mouth guard usage, yet over 80% of children do not utilize mouth guards while playing organized sports because they are not required to wear them. We believe athletic mouth guards should be a required piece of athletic equipment for all children participating in any activity involving body or equipment contact. Sports such as football, lacrosse, hockey, basketball, baseball, skateboarding, and soccer represent a particularly high risk of dental injury.