If you or your child plays sports, you understand how crucial it is to prevent injuries. Helmets, pads, and other protective gear are common, but have you considered your teeth? Custom sports mouthguards are critical in keeping your teeth, mouth, and braces safe during athletic activities. At Wesley Dental, you can get a custom mouthguard in our Greenville, TX, dental office to protect your smile while you stay active.
Custom mouthguards are part of general dentistry. Wearing a mouthguard for basketball, football, soccer, or other sports with contact between players can prevent the need for future dental care. Hits to the face and mouth can result in knocked-out teeth,
Benefits of Custom Sports Mouthguards
Custom sports mouthguards in our Greenville, TX office offer several key benefits that make them the best choice for athletes:
- Superior Fit: Custom mouthguards are designed to fit the exact shape of your teeth. We take impressions of your teeth so they can offer better protection and comfort than over-the-counter options. This personalized fit helps keep the mouthguard securely in place, offers superior cushioning, and reduces the risk of injuries.
- Better Protection and Strength: Because they fit so well, custom mouthguards stay in place and offer superior protection against dental injuries. Made from high-quality materials, custom mouthguards are built to last and can withstand the wear and tear of regular sports activities.
- Comfortable to Wear: Custom mouthguards allow you to breathe and speak more easily, making them more comfortable to wear during sports. With custom sports mouthguards, you can speak and drink. The mouthguard will not feel bulky in your mouth.
- Adaptable for Braces: If you wear braces, we can create a custom mouthguard to fit over them. That way, you can protect your teeth and your braces. Wearing a sports mouthguard can prevent broken braces wires that can irritate your gum tissue.
How Custom Mouthguards Protect Your Teeth
Custom sports mouthguards are specifically designed to fit your teeth and gums. This snug fit ensures that your teeth and soft tissues are protected from impact during sports like football, basketball, soccer, or hockey. A custom mouthguard absorbs the shock of a hit or fall, which can help prevent broken teeth, chipped teeth, and other dental injuries.
For those with braces, custom mouthguards are even more important. Braces can make your teeth and gums more vulnerable to damage. A blow to the face could result in cuts, broken brackets, or even knocked-out teeth.
Custom mouthguards fit over braces comfortably, providing extra protection for both your braces and your teeth. This ensures that your orthodontic treatment stays on track while keeping your smile safe.
Over-the-Counter vs. Custom-Made Mouthguards
When choosing a sports mouthguard, you have two main options: over-the-counter (OTC) or custom-made mouthguards.
OTC mouthguards are readily available in sporting goods stores and pharmacies. They are usually one-size-fits-all or boil-and-bite mouthguards that you can mold to your teeth at home. While these options are convenient and inexpensive, they don’t offer the best fit.
A poorly fitting mouthguard can shift around in your mouth, making it harder to breathe, talk, or even stay in place during a game. It also doesn’t provide the same level of protection because it won’t perfectly contour to your teeth and gums.
Your dentist creates custom sports mouthguards to match your unique dental structure. They offer a superior fit compared to OTC mouthguards, ensuring the mouthguard stays in place during intense activities.
The snug fit also allows for easier breathing and speaking, making it more comfortable to wear for long periods. Custom-made mouthguards provide the highest level of protection because they are designed to cushion your teeth and jaw from injury.
Although OTC mouthguards are cheaper upfront, custom-made mouthguards are a better long-term investment in your dental health. The precise fit and superior protection can save you from costly dental repairs in the future.
How to Get a Custom Mouthguard at the Dentist
Getting a custom sports mouthguard at our Greenville, TX, dental office is simple. Here’s what you can expect during the process:
Dental Exam and Impressions
Our dentist will first check your teeth and gums to make sure there are no underlying issues that need attention before creating your mouthguard. This exam helps ensure that your mouth is healthy and ready for a custom fit.
After your dental exam, our dentist will take impressions of your teeth. This involves biting into a soft material that captures the exact shape of your teeth and gums. These impressions will create a mouthguard that fits your mouth perfectly.
Mouthguard Creation
The impressions are sent to a dental lab where your custom mouthguard is crafted. The lab uses high-quality, durable materials to create a mouthguard that is strong enough to protect your teeth while being comfortable to wear. Custom mouthguards are designed to fit snugly around your teeth and braces (if you have them), providing the best possible protection.
Fitting and Adjustments
Once your custom mouthguard is ready, you’ll return to the dental office for a fitting. Our dentist will ensure the mouthguard fits comfortably and properly covers your teeth and gums. If needed, we can make small adjustments to ensure the mouthguard fits just right.
How to Care For Sports Mouthguards
Our dentist will give you instructions on how to care for your custom mouthguard. After each game or practice, rinse your mouthguard with cool water to remove any saliva or debris. Use a soft toothbrush and non-abrasive toothpaste to gently scrub your mouthguard. This helps get rid of bacteria and keep it fresh.
You can soak your mouthguard in a mouthwash or a denture cleaner for a few minutes to disinfect it and eliminate any odors. Let your mouthguard air dry completely before storing it. This helps prevent bacteria from growing. Once your mouthguard is dry, keep it in its ventilated case.
With proper care, your custom mouthguard can last for a long time. If you notice a change in how your mouthguard fits, please contact us.
Custom Mouthguard FAQs
Learn more about getting a custom mouthguard in Greenville, TX, with answers to these common questions:
How do sports mouthguards work?
Sports mouthguards are designed to absorb and spread out the force of a hit, reducing the chance of damage. When you get hit in the mouth or face, the mouthguard acts like a cushion. It softens the blow so your teeth, gums, and jaw don’t take the full force. The mouthguard covers your teeth and creates a barrier between your teeth and soft tissues, like your cheeks and lips. This helps prevent cuts and bruises inside your mouth.
Why do some sports mouthguards only cover the top teeth?
The top teeth are more at risk of getting hit or damaged during sports activities. Your top teeth are more exposed than your bottom teeth when your mouth is open. They’re more likely to get hit by a ball, stick, or another player’s elbow. A mouthguard focuses on covering these teeth to prevent a chipped, broken, or knocked out tooth.
In many cases, the bottom teeth are partly shielded by the top teeth when your jaw is closed. The mouthguard on the top teeth also helps cushion the impact on your lower jaw and teeth by absorbing the force of a blow.
How should a custom mouthguard fit?
Your sports mouthguard should:
- Stay in place when you talk or move your mouth
- Cover all your teeth but not reach too far back to make you gag
- Feel comfortable with your lips closed
- Let you breathe and talk normally, even though it might feel a little different at first
- Not feel loose or move around when you shake your head
- Not need you to bite down or clench to keep it in place
If you notice any change in the fit of your mouthguard, please let us know.
Why is my sports mouthguard warped?
Your sports mouthguard can become warped if it’s exposed to high heat. The materials used in most mouthguards, like thermoplastic, are designed to be flexible but can lose their shape when heated.
Common reasons your mouthguard might warp include:
- Hot Water: If you clean your mouthguard with hot water instead of cool or lukewarm water, it can soften and change its shape.
- Sunlight: Leaving your mouthguard in direct sunlight, like on a car dashboard, can cause it to heat up and warp.
- Improper Storage: Storing your mouthguard near heat sources, such as near a heater or in a hot locker room, can lead to warping over time.
Can losing baby teeth impact how sports mouthguards fit?
Yes, losing baby teeth can affect how a sports mouthguard fits! When your child loses baby teeth, gaps from missing teeth can make the mouthguard fit loosely in those spots.
New adult teeth coming in can make the mouthguard feel tight. The jaw and mouth keep growing during this time, which can change how things fit. We recommend that you check how your child’s mouthguard fits after they lose their teeth and consider a new mouthguard.
Can a sports mouthguard treat TMJ?
No, we do not recommend that you use a sports mouthguard if you have TMJ. We also do not recommend wearing a TMJ nightguard during sports. Sports mouthguards are more bulky than nightguards and can fall out of the mouth when you’re asleep. They also use a more rubbery plastic, which can encourage you to chew and increase the risk of teeth grinding.
What do I do if I damage my sports mouthguard?
If your custom mouthguard warps or if it stops fitting correctly, contact our Greenville, TX office. We can examine it and recommend whether it needs to be adjusted or replaced. Wearing a poorly fitting mouthguard can lead to discomfort or even injury during sports.
Do not continue to use your damaged mouthguard, because it may not protect you properly. This puts your teeth, gums, and jaw at risk if you experience an impact.
Should I wear a sports mouthguard if I have Invisalign?
Invisalign aligners are not designed to handle the impact or pressure that can happen during sports. Wearing a mouthguard provides a cushion that absorbs the force and keeps your teeth and aligners safe.
However, we recommend that you take out your aligners before you wear your mouthguard. This protects your aligners and teeth while you play.
Get a Custom-Made Mouthguard
Make sure your child is ready for the upcoming sports season. Get a custom sports mouthguard in Greenville, TX, from Wesley Dental by calling 903-270-5279. You can also schedule an appointment with us on our website.