About Mouth Guards
Thousands of dental injuries are treated in hospitals every year, and more so in sporting seasons. Dental injuries can be painful and can disfigure your teeth permanently. Mouthguards offer a simple preventative solution and can be worn during sports or other risky physical activities.
What are mouthguards?
Mouth guards are protective devices for the mouth, covering the teeth and gums to prevent and reduce the chance of injury.
Who should consider mouthguards?
We recommend that anyone engaging in any recreational activity or contact sport that could possibly cause injuries to the mouth should wear a mouth guard – this applies to both children and adults.
Typical contact Sports in which Sporting Mouthguards are recommended
- AFL
- BMX
- Boxing
- Cricket
- Martial Arts
- Netball
- Hockey
- Football
- Rugby Union
- Rugby League
- Water Polo
Mouth guards can also be worn at night to prevent grinding during sleep.
How does it work?
Mouthguards protect your teeth against fractures, breakage, or dislocation. Mouthguards provide cushioning around the teeth, protecting them from physical injury. Essentially, in trauma, the mouthguard’s rubber will prevent tooth vs tooth contact and absorb the impact and disperse these forces across the entire arch. Teeth are also protected from coming into contact with each other and work to guard the lower jaw.
How is it done?
We make a mold of your jaw and scan your teeth which will then be sent to a lab to be constructed into a solid mouth guard which is specific to your mouth shape and the structure of your teeth.
How long will it take?
It usually takes around a week for the mouthguard to be produced.
We recommend (if possible) avoiding physical activity such as contact sports which could result in oral injuries until your mouth guard has been made.
How long will my mouthguard last?
This depends mostly on your age. Children and teenagers tend to find that their teeth are changing and moving and therefore would require a new mouth guard when their teeth move. Those who have braces will also require a new mouth guard during different stages of their treatment as the teeth will constantly be moving over the course of their plan.
In contrast, adults may not need their mouth guard replaced as frequently.
However, like any piece of sports equipment, mouthguards suffer from wear and tear and therefore may need to be replaced after a certain period of time. We recommend that you bring your mouthguard with you to your checkups so we can check the quality and condition of your mouthguard.