From hockey faceoffs to soccer headers, contact sports pose inevitable oral injury risks athletes wisely shield through proper mouthguard usage. But with various styles serving unique protective functions, choosing the right type matters based on the demands of each game.
Here at Alpine Dental & Denture Center, our team cares for Grinsburgh athletes of all levels through examinations, recommendations, and customized guard fabrication using advanced materials standing up to game impacts without absorbing flavors and disturbing experiences. We’ll review popular options helping you select optimum smile shields for your favorite pastime!
Boil and Bite Guards
Inexpensive “boil-and-bite” guards soften upon heating allowing wearers to gently bite and form quick-setting rubber material to mouth contours. Effective for occasional contact like field hockey or baseball, they prove less durable than other styles over prolonged use and don’t cover teeth as comprehensively.
Stock Athletic Guards
Pre-formed with a universal fit, stock guards cost less but offer minimal customization compromising comfort. Useful for low-contact sports, but risk slipping or providing incomplete coverage. Materials may crack more easily than customized versions.
Custom-Molded Guards
Made from dental impressions capturing precise jaw relationships and tooth positions, custom guards prove the most comfortable and protective without compromising speech clarity or breathing room. Materials resisting breaking even better than stock versions suit high-impact sports.
These costliest guards take additional dentist time yet prove worthwhile investments for activities like football, lacrosse, or rugby minimizing fracture risks. Our office fabricates durable thermoplastic versions or more rigid “dually-cured” models that best shield vulnerable teeth and jaws.
Night Guards
While not sports-specific, night guards worn during sleep by bruxism (teeth grinding) sufferers or those protecting recent dental work from forces like clenching play preventive roles in reducing morning headaches or tooth sensitivity.
Through thorough evaluation of each athlete’s individual needs and play factors, our team properly fits an optimum guard comfortably fulfilling the demands of favorite sports without hindering performance.
Don’t risk losing hard-earned Grinsburgh grins – protect smiles and contact your favorite local athletes’ ally, Alpine Dental, today!