Many adults and children across Australia use mouthguards on a regular basis. Mouthguards protect against injuries during sport and prevent clenching and grinding damage during sleep. A mouthguard is like an insurance policy for your teeth – you make a small investment now to protect against future damage requiring expensive dental procedures.
Whether you need a mouthguard to protect you during contact sports or for a good night’s sleep, there is a range of options to choose from. It may be tempting to buy a standard plastic protector from a supermarket or sports shop as a cheap and fast solution, but getting a custom-made mouthguard fitted by a dentist offers a huge amount of benefits, just a few of which are listed below.
Comfort
A shop-bought mouthguard is usually made of thick, stiff plastic which is very uncomfortable to wear, especially for long periods of time. They can also restrict breathing, which is not what you want when playing high-intensity sports or trying to sleep. In contrast, a dentist-fitted mouth guard will be tailored to fit your unique bite. These can be made out of semi-rigid or flexible materials depending on your needs and they are designed with comfort in mind.
Free Speech
During team sports, being able to communicate with your fellow players, coaches and referees is vital, so you need a mouthguard that enables you to do this. A custom-made protector gives you a performance advantage over those using a guard purchased off-the-shelf; everyone you need to talk to will be able to understand without you having to waste time removing your mouthpiece.
Stays in Place
Because a tailor-made mouthguard is created to fit your exact palate and teeth, you can guarantee it will stay firmly in place no matter your activity. Shop-bought protectors can slip around in the mouth, which is distracting and irritating and can throw you off your game.
Support
When designing your mouthguard at Ipswich Family Dental, we can identify areas in your bite that might need extra support or adjustment and those areas that are at risk of becoming sore or inflamed from mouthguard use. This bespoke design means you can be sure you are giving your teeth the best possible care and won’t risk damaging them by wearing the mouthguard over long periods of time. In addition to this, the professional supervision of your oral guard means it can be adapted over time if teeth move or grow, or your sporting practice changes.
Durability
A professionally made mouthguard is resilient, tear-resistant and hard-wearing. With proper care, your custom mouthpiece can offer you years of protection, something that shop-bought guards just can’t provide.
If you’d like to get a custom-made mouthguard in Brisbane then look no further – call Ipswich Family Dental now on 07 3201 6767 (Brassall) or 07 3281 1781 (Ipswich) or visit our contact page for more ways to get in touch.
