Are Custom Mouthguards Worth It?

With a new sports season coming up, players and parents of athletes across Australia are busy with all the preparations involved for the exciting months ahead. And this year, many of them are also asking: is it worth investing in a custom-fit sports mouthguard?  

To answer that question, it pays to know that playing sports is a top cause of dental injuries among individuals under the age of 25 in Australia, statistics from the Department of Health shows.

If you play contact sports such as rugby, hockey and boxing, the risk of obtaining serious injury in the mouth is naturally greater. But even accidents that can happen during non-contact sports and individual active play (such as biking) can also result in trauma to the face and teeth.

As such, dentists and sports medicine experts highly recommend the use of mouthguards as the best protection for minimising dental injuries during sports activities.

What is a sports mouthguard?

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A mouthguard is made up of a soft, rubber-like material usually created from plastics, resins, laminates and other materials. This device is placed inside the mouth and worn over the upper teeth row. A full mouthguard for both upper and lower teeth could also be prescribed, such as for people wearing braces.

A mouthguard custom-fitted by your dentist is flexible and comfortable to wear, but strong and specifically designed to cushion the impact during a collision. With such a structure, a custom sports mouthguard can effectively minimise injury to the teeth, jaw and soft tissues of the tongue and cheeks.

Who should wear a mouthguard?

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Your dentist may recommend using a mouthguard if you participate in both non-contact and incidental contact sports such as volleyball, netball and soccer. Those who engage in individual sports such as snow skiing, skateboarding and biking might also be advised to wear one.

Meanwhile, sports associations and athletic bodies usually make it mandatory to wear a mouthguard when playing high-contact sports such as boxing, wrestling, hockey and Australian football, both during practice and actual events.  

Perfect fit, ultimate protection

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Take note that it takes an experienced dental team to fit, design and produce a mouthguard with a precise fit. To get started with getting a custom sports mouthguard, contact us today.

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