A Guide to Athletic Mouthguards from the Dental Experts of Santa Fe; Eldorado Dental

Athletic mouthguards are mostly used in contact sports to prevent and/or reduce injury to the teeth, lips and gums. Other names for mouthguards include mouth protectors, mouth pieces, gum guards and night guards. Studies show that more than five million teeth are knocked out in sporting activities every year and that athletes are up to sixty times more likely to end up damaging their teeth if they are not wearing a mouthguard. Sports people who wear braces should definitely use mouthguards as a hit to the face could cause some really serious damage, not to mention the fact that it could be very painful and also expensive to repair.

There are three kinds of athletic mouthguards available.

1. First come the Stock mouthguards which are ready-made and ready to use. They are readily available at most sporting goods stores and can also be ordered online but if they are not fitted properly they can cause complications in breathing and talking. Stock mouthguards are the least expensive mouthguards available but they are also the least protective ones as well which is why most dental care experts do not recommend them for athletes.

2. Boil and Bite mouthguards are the most popular kind of mouthguards available. These mouthguards are made from thermoplastic material and are generally preferred over the regular ones. A ‘boil and bite’ mouthguard is immersed in boiling hot water for a few minutes and once it softens, it is placed in the mouth and shaped around the teeth.

3. The third and perhaps the most satisfactory of all types of mouth guards are Custom-made mouthguards. Since these are individually designed and are made according to the specifications provided by a professional dentist, custom-made mouthguards provide the maximum amount of comfort and protection. There are two further types of custom-made mouthguards, namely the Pressure Laminated mouthguard and the Vacuum mouthguard, both made as per dental specifications for patients who need them.

For more information on a hassle-free and painless dental experience or general inquiries, contact Eldorado Dental today! At Eldorado Dental you will find the most distinguished team of dental care experts in Santa Fe who take pride in assisting patients with all their dental problems.