It’s nearly Autumn term and the time for certain compulsory contact sports in primary and secondary schools to commence during PE lessons. These include rugby, cricket, squash and hockey and require mouthguards designed to protect your child’s teeth from any injuries.
Why an orthodontic mouthguard?
On average, 40% of sports injuries are tooth related and with this in mind, ensuring your child has the best mode of protection is vital. You can purchase mouthguards over-the-counter from sports retailers but these offer only a fraction of protection offered by custom made versions. Over-the-counter moutguards, otherwise known as ‘boil and bite’ versions, adopt your tooth structure when you place them in hot water initially but lose their shape rapidly after only a handful of uses. In contrast, bespoke mouthguards created by us at Cornerhouse, maintain their shape and are made by taking impressions (moulds) of your child’s teeth.
Orthodontic mouthguards are made from a compressive and flexible material which slows down the impacting force resulting in better protection; the impacting object or force decelerates over a longer period, hence the increased level of protection. To summarise, increased elasticity = less energy = less damage.
Comfort
Boil and bite guards do not offer much in the way of comfort because they have excess space and cause a gag reflex which can get in the way of activities. When the force is compressed, the mouthgaurd is also able to return to its original shape, something which a boil and bite version cannot do. Communication is also impaired where boil and bite guards are concerned which can make team sports difficult – the hassle of having to remove the guard to speak to team mates makes a huge difference on the pitch for hockey or rugby for example. Custom versions render this much easier.
Looking after your mouthguard
Orthodontic mouthguards can last for several years if properly looked after. This entails cleaning if after each use and placing it into a box to ensure it stays clean.
If you would like more information about mouthguards at Cornerhouse, please do not hesitate to contact us and we can arrange a consultation for your child.