Mouth Guards
Keeping Your Smile Safe
Sports injuries are relatively common—the journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) reports that 13-39% of all dental injuries are sports-related. Correctly and consistently wearing a mouth guard while participating in a sport helps prevent tooth trauma from a fall, body contact or another incident that inevitably comes with playing a sport. At Stewart Dental Group in Charlotte, NC, we fit young and adult athletes alike with custom-fit mouth guards that form perfectly to the patient’s smile.
What Is A Mouth Guard?
Mouth guards act as a protective shield for the mouth. The device fits over the top front teeth, providing padding and protection from common injuries that occur while playing sports. When worn correctly, mouth guards should be snug-fitting, comfortable and easy to speak around.
Who Should Wear A Mouth Guard?
Patients who participate in a contact sport such as football, soccer, basketball, and more should wear mouth guards. However, we also encourage our patients who skateboard, snowboard, mountain bike or participate in other solo sports to also wear a protective device over the teeth to protect their smiles. They can benefit people who are currently undergoing orthodontic treatment, have received dental work, or who have had very little to no dental work at all!
Benefits Of Mouth Guards
In addition to the benefits of wearing these protective devices while participating in athletic activities, mouth guards can also be worn at night while sleeping to help prevent teeth grinding. When worn correctly during athletic activities, they can:
Mouth Guard Treatment At Stewart Dental
Though there are multiple types on the market, a custom-fit device is the most effective and comfortable of them all. Before making your device, our dentists will take a mold of your smile. Your impressions are then sent to a dental lab, where it is created to exactly fit your smile. It should only take a week or two after your molds are taken for your custom-fit device to be made.
When it arrives, you will need to visit our office to ensure that your device fits correctly and that you understand how to wear it. During this appointment, our team will also instruct you on how to properly care for and clean it. We recommend cleaning your device after every use and deep cleaning it once a week. With the right care, your device can last from three to five years.
Let’s Get Started
If you play a sport, protecting your smile is one of the easiest and most important things you can do. Additionally, if you have an ill-fitting or uncomfortable mouth guard but find yourself not wearing it, visit us to get a new one. At Stewart Dental, our dentists will help you find a great fit for your smile that you will actually want to wear. Call 704-376-2404 or make an appointment online.
