Understanding Sports Guards
Sports guards are crucial not only for protecting your teeth but also for safeguarding orthodontic devices like braces and dental appliances such as bridges and implants. They help prevent injuries to the inner lining of your cheeks and lips in case of an accident. If you’re involved in activities with falls, contact, or flying equipment, a custom-fitted guard from your dental team offers the best protection.
Exploring Your Choices
Standard Sports Guards
Available at sporting goods stores, these pre-formed guards are ready to use immediately. However, they often don’t fit well, feel bulky, and can make breathing or speaking difficult. Athletes may find them distracting, leading them to adjust or remove the guard during play.
Boil & Bite Sports Guards
These guards come as a kit with instructions. You heat the guard and then bite into the softened plastic to mould it to your teeth. While they offer a better fit than standard guards, they can still be bulky or uncomfortable, especially if they restrict breathing or speaking. A custom-fitted guard may be a better option if comfort is an issue.
Custom-Made Mouth Guards
Our top recommendation! Custom-made mouthguards are designed specifically for your mouth, offering superior protection and comfort. With a guard made by our team, you get the best fit and can rely on us to make any necessary adjustments, ensuring your complete satisfaction.
Cost of a Custom Sports Guard in Napanee
The cost of a custom sports guard can vary, typically ranging from $100 to $300+ with standard dental insurance, and $150 to $350 or more without insurance.
The price depends on two key factors:
- The material used to create the guard: Different materials offer varying levels of protection, comfort, and durability for your sports guard.
- Any ongoing orthodontic treatments being considered: If you’re undergoing orthodontic treatments, such as braces, your sports guard may need to be customized to accommodate those changes.
As each patient’s needs are unique, it’s important to schedule an in-person consultation with a dentist to get a more accurate estimate. If you have dental insurance, we can provide a quote for you to submit to your insurer, helping you better understand your out-of-pocket expenses.
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During your visit, we will thoroughly assess your teeth, gums, soft tissues, and the overall shape and condition of your bite. Our goal is to understand the full picture of how your mouth looks and functions. Before we devise a treatment plan, we aim to gather comprehensive details about the health and appearance of your smile and, crucially, your personal goals for your dental health so that we can help you achieve them.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s not a good idea to use a mouthguard as a nightguard. While both are custom-fitted, they have different purposes. A mouthguard protects you during physical activities, while a nightguard helps with teeth grinding and keeps your bite aligned at night.
These terms are often used interchangeably, but here’s a breakdown of each:
- Sports guards: This term is typically used to describe a protective device worn during sports or physical activities. Sports guards are designed specifically to shield your teeth, gums, and mouth from potential injuries caused by impacts, falls, or contact with other players or equipment.
- Mouth guards: This is the general term used for any type of protective device worn over your teeth. While mouth guards are commonly used during sports, they can also be worn for other purposes, such as preventing teeth grinding or bruxism at night. In sports, they function similarly to sports guards, offering protection against injuries.
- Mouth protectors: A broader term that refers to any appliance worn to protect the mouth, including both mouth guards and sports guards. It’s essentially another way to describe a protective covering for the teeth, whether it’s used for sports, teeth grinding, or other reasons.
In summary, while all three terms describe devices that protect the teeth, sports guards and mouth guards are more specific to active protection during sports, while mouth protectors is a general term.
Sports guards usually need to be replaced at the end of each season. They can wear down over time, especially if they’re chewed on or not cared for properly. If you’re growing, the fit may change as your teeth shift, so many people get a new guard during their regular six-month dental checkup.
Your sports guard should feel snug but not uncomfortable. You should be able to breathe and speak easily with it in. If you’re constantly adjusting it or taking it out during your activity, it probably doesn’t fit right.
Any sport with a risk of impact, falls, or contact with other players could benefit from a sports guard. This includes football, hockey, soccer, skateboarding, wrestling, and many others. If you’re involved in high-risk activities, wearing a guard is a smart choice to protect your smile.
Absolutely! If you have braces, wearing a sports guard is a great idea. It will protect your braces, teeth, and the inside of your lips and cheeks from injury if you take a hit during sports.
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