Don’t let sports injuries sideline your child, The importance of professional, custom-fit mouthguards

You wouldn’t consider sending your children out to the field or diamond without their pads or helmets. Mouthguards, too, should be treated as an essential piece of protective sports equipment. They should be considered with the seriousness they deserve, not with a grain of salt. At Dental Oasis of Orange County, we say this most earnestly and lovingly as possible. Our team takes pride in providing the most transparent, honest, clear, and informational guidance possible to individuals and families throughout Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, and the Westminster area of southern California. 

You can trust that our recommendations are made in the best interest of your child’s health. We don’t cut corners when it comes to quality and the exacting planning and processes that add up to treatments and services that are a great value and investment in the smile and overall health and wellbeing. Notably, oral appliances like mouthguards not only protect the teeth from chips and cracks caused by blows to the face and other forms of contact during sports. But they also minimize or eliminate the risk of a range of other sports-related injuries, including: 

• Lacerations to delicate gums and soft tissues
• Lip and tongue cuts 
• Avulsed (knocked out) teeth 
• Concussions 
• Broken jaws 
• Neck trauma

When worn as directed, mouthguards buffer or cushion from the full force or blow to the mouth, jaws, and face. They also support improved stability and absorb some of the impacts associated with severe concussions. Custom-fit mouthguards or sportsguards, such as those available at the office of Dental Oasis of Orange County, get worn as instructed. Since they are made to fit athletes’ mouths, they are comfortable. To also protect as designed, the mouthguards must fit precisely. Ill-fitting and uncomfortable “stock” or “boil and bite” guards tend to remain on the shelf or hanging out of players’ mouths. Even when worn, they may crack or not provide the coverage and protection that is necessary and that they are marketed to offer. 

Our team in Huntington Beach, California, stands by its professional guards. Models or impressions of your child’s mouth are used to make their appliance, which is also made from strong, high-quality materials. Furthermore, we regularly check the condition of mouthguards during routine appointments. As partners in your family’s health, we provide the service, expertise, and standards that prevent controllable injuries. These injuries can sideline your athlete and lead to traumatic, costly, and lengthy restorative treatment. 

For more information about our approach to oral appliance therapy, call (714) 312-7714. Sportsguards are just one of many oral devices that can be worn to guard against damage to the teeth, gums, mouth, and jaws. For instance, nightguards or oral splints prevent injuries and ease symptoms associated with conditions such as chronic teeth grinding (bruxism), TMJ disorders, and sleep-disordered breathing.