Anyone participating in contact sports must have protective equipment. This includes wearing of custom-fitted mouthguards.
A mouthguard will absorb the shock experienced when you receive a blow to the face. Such heavy collisions can lead to broken or chipped teeth, tooth loss, internal damage within the tooth, soft tissue injuries or even a broken jaw. Obviously, a protective cover for your teeth is necessary to avert such painful and costly injuries.
Cost Of Mouthguards Vs. Tooth Treatment
The reality is that not having protection for your teeth makes you susceptible to easily avoidable injuries. Firstly, such an experience would be extremely painful. Secondly, the cost of treatment would be exponentially greater than any amount of money you have to pay for custom guards. The injury you suffer may necessitate on-going treatment lasting a lifetime. This could cost you between $10,000 and $20,000 (based on data from the Australian Dental Association (ADA)).
Over-The-Counter Vs Custom-Fitted Mouthguards
Just getting any type of mouthguard is not enough. The Australian Dental Association recommends only custom-fitted versions. These models adhere to the strict standards outlined by the Standards Australia HB209-2003 - Guidelines for the Fabrication, Use and Maintenances of Sports Mouthguards. They are not only comfortable to wear, but also provide the greatest level of protection for your teeth. On the other hand, over-the-counter varieties provide only a slight degree of protection compared to not having any protection at all.
The reason why custom-fitted types are highly effective is because they are specially designed to give an exact fit. Dentists use impressions taken of your teeth and plaster models to derive an accurate assessment of your dental cavity. This provides the best size, fit, thickness and coverage suited to each individual. Such custom guards also allow you to talk comfortably, offer no restriction to breathing and offer strong resistance against being dislodged. Without this exact fit, you will not only have reduced effectiveness, but also an increased risk of suffering tooth damage.
Unfortunately, a 2010 research by ADA revealed that only 35% of children wearing mouthguards were wearing custom fitted varieties. This is a disturbing situation, since most children may assume that they have adequate protection, yet that is not the case. This is one reason why ADA holds annual campaigns aimed at raising Mouthguard Awareness within Australia.
Proper Care
There's more to it than just getting a custom guard. You also need to apply appropriate care to ensure that your dental protection lasts. Although it is long lasting, a dentist must review your custom guard after a period of 12 months. An earlier review might also be necessary in case you go through some major changes to your dental cavity. This may include teeth restorations or growth of adult teeth in children. In such situations, the custom guard would have to be replaced.
Daily care involves rinsing in cold water after use and storing it in a plastic container when dry. You should also keep it away from high temperatures, which can cause a distortion. Therefore, only store it in cool places, away from direct sunlight. Occasional rinsing in mouth wash is also necessary.
Be Well Dental provides custom-fitted mouth guards suited for every individual. Visit http://www.bewelldental.com.au/service/mouthguards/ for more info regarding on mouthguards.Dr William Huynh is dedicated to providing quality care to his patients, whilst always holding their comfort and peace of mind in the highest regard.
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