Mouthguards

The Facts about Mouth Guards

Mouthguards are shock absorbers that do much more than protect smiles. They play a critical role in preventing injuries to the teeth, head and neck! Made of soft plastic or laminate material, a mouthguard covers the teeth to protect them from direct blows. It also separates the upper from the lower teeth to help prevent damage that can occur when the lower teeth hit the upper teeth. Beyond this, mouthguards significantly lower the risk of concussion by stopping the jaw joint from being driven into the base of the brain when an impact occurs. Without this protection, the athlete can suffer concussion, brain injury and/or neck injuries.

Choosing a Mouthguard

While there are several types of mouthguards available, we believe that it is always worth getting the best. Consider the following common options, and how they compare to our choice: pressure-laminated mouthguards.

Bulky and unfitted, inexpensive stock mouthguards are held in place by biting down, which can interfere with breathing and speech. They tend to wear down quickly, and are sometimes cut down by the wearer in an attempt to make them more comfortable, which can weaken their protective capabilities.

More expensive boil-and-bite mouthguards are formed to the teeth by applying pressure after boiling the guard in water; however, boiling has been shown to decrease their protective abilities. Like stock mouthguards, they are bulky and can interfere with speech and breathing.

Preferable than the first two options in terms of fit and protection, vacuum-formed mouthguards are fabricated based on a dental impression of the patient’s mouth. This mouthguard does not interfere with speaking and breathing, but it covers the teeth with only a single layer of EVA polymer.

At Uptown, we use only pressure-laminated mouthguards fabricated with a Biostar machine. Pressure-laminated mouthguards are made from two or three layers of laminate (EVA material) chemically fused under high heat and pressure to provide a labial thickness of 3mm, palatal thickness of 2mm and occlusal thickness of 3mm. These mouthguards are inherently superior over the other options.

• They are lightweight and precision fitted for increased comfort, and do not interfere with speaking or breathing.

• They provide better thickness at the incisal (biting) edge of your teeth.

• The uniform thickness of these mouthguards, at 3-4mm, makes them more effective in absorbing impact energy. They provide better protection against dental injury and concussions.

• Precisely manufactured, they experience only negligible deformation when worn over time, unlike the other options that can be chewed down over time and often must be replaced within one sports season. Pressure-laminated mouthguards can last up to two years.

Give us a call to arrange a protective mouthguard fitting for yourself or for your active child.