Spring is finally here, with summer soon following. Sports and other outdoor activities can spell a lot of trouble for kids’ teeth if they’re not protected. That’s where mouthguards come in.
Dr. Elizabeth said, “Mouthguards don’t just protect kids from losing their teeth; they also protect the soft tissues of the tongue, cheeks and lips.” The last things anyone wants in their spring and summer seasons are any wounds inside their mouths.
Mouthguards act as a cushion to any blows to the face. Also called mouth protectors, they usually cover the upper teeth because your top teeth stick out. All of the teeth are essentially part of the bones that make up your child’s lower face. The upper teeth are positioned like a protective cage in front of the tongue and the lower teeth should fit inside the upper teeth. A single blow with the right impact and angle can cause a major disruption to the teeth and soft tissues of the mouth area.
Mouthguards are either required or recommended gear for kids who play contact and collision sports, including wrestling, boxing, baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and lacrosse and even can be considered critical for non-contact sports like ice skating and gymnastics where high speed movements don’t always land perfectly.
The truth of the matter is really simple, says Dr. AJ Ker. “The orthodontic and dental restorative aftermath of a mouth trauma can be devastatingly difficult to navigate. A broken tooth is never the same as the original and will require a lifetime of maintenance. A lost tooth may be even harder to replace and takes a very long time to manage properly. Soft tissue injuries where teeth go through lips can leave a lifetime scar. And, also importantly, all of these repairs are extremely expensive and time consuming. It is so much easier and less expensive to just prevent the injury in the first place.”
Types of Mouthguards
“The best type is custom made for every kid by his or her dentist,” Dr. Elizabeth said. “To ensure the right protection, mouthguards need the right fit.” Here are the options for mouthguards:
- Custom made: These are custom made to your child’s mouth for the best fit and comfort. These are typically only made after orthodontic treatment is completed as any tooth movement will negate the fit.
- Stock: Ready-to-wear mouthguards you can purchase at pharmacies and sporting goods stores. They may not fit well and bulge inward and outward, making talking and breathing difficult.
- Boil-and-bite: The middle ground between custom made and stock, boil and bite are ready to wear out of the box, but you soften it first in boiling water and then bite down, making it conform to your teeth. CustMbite MVP and CustMbite Pro are boil-and-bite mouthguards that have earned the ADA Seal of Acceptance.
Talk to your dentist about mouthguards
Mouthguards are especially important If your child has bridgework, crowns or braces. Active kids and teens need protection to preserve their smiles. It is appropriate to replace a mouthguard immediately when it shows wear and tear.
About Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan, the offices of Drs. Plunkett, Ralstrom, Makowski, Thanasas, Ker, and Associates
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan have specialized in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics since 1968. Our family-friendly and newly renovated office gives patients and families a more comfortable and consistent experience with dentistry from the very beginning. Our pediatric dentists treat children from newborn to 18 years of age while our orthodontists provide care for both children and adults and are proud to be Premier Providers of Invisalign and Invisalign Teen services. The ability to treat all patients with compassion and individuality, including those that may have special needs reaches beyond our facility, which has treatment rooms available for children who require additional privacy and customized care options. We pioneered valued hospital affiliations to allow dental services to be performed at DMC Children’s Hospital and St. John Macomb Hospital, when appropriate or necessary, and our specialists are also proud to be on staff at Henry Ford and Beaumont hospitals.
