Are custom mouthguards worth the expense? YES!!!!
What about the cheaper, boil and bite ones available from the pharmacy?
The boil and bite mouthguards available will not adequately protect you or your child’s teeth because they do not fit the teeth snugly. The consequence of this is that any impact will not be properly absorbed by a loose fitting surface, but may actually serve to contribute to damaging the teeth.
How does the dentist make a mouthguard?
At Gentle Dental Centre, our dentist takes a custom impression (mould) of the upper teeth. This then gets sent to the dental lab. Depending on the age of the sportsperson and the type of sport will determine whether a single, double or triple layer is required. These all differ in corresponding cost. Other custom items can also be added like a name embedded or different, multiple colours.
What can happen if I don’t wear a mouthguard?
Traumatic injury to the mouth in sport usually results in impact on the upper front teeth. Injuries range from chipped teeth to a complete avulsion (knocked out tooth). Treatment ranges from small fixes up to root canal treatments and the potential need for implants in the future. Considering the potential cost of dental treatment for injured front teeth, having a custom mouthguard made is a very smart preventive measure.
How long does my mouthguard take to make?
We can usually have mouthguards made in about 5 working days.
What sports do you make mouthguards for?
Surprisingly even some of the high impact sports do not make wearing a mouthguard compulsory. The most common sports we make them for are AFL, boxing, martial arts but we have also made them for netballers and hockey players. Anything to protect the front teeth!
