According to the American Dental Association, more than 200,000 oral injuries are prevented annually in this country by sports mouthguards. While this is an impressive preventative figure, it is unfortunately estimated by the National Youth Sports Foundation that more than 5 million teeth will be knocked out in sporting activities this year. These oral traumas will happen to children, high school and college level athletes. In fact, dental injuries are the most common type of orofacial injury sustained during participation in sports.

The more active you are, the more you need to wear them. Anyone including children and adults who are physically active and play contact sport should wear one!

A mouthguard is a flexible appliance made out of plastic that is worn in athletic and recreational activities to protect teeth from trauma.

Custom-made mouthguards are sbetter than store-bought because they conform to your actual bite and are made of more durable material!

Mouthguards can prevent serious injuries such as:

• Lacerations to lip, cheek and chin
• Fractures of the facial bones especially the check bones and mandible which can cause facial deformity
• Possible permanent injury to the jaw joints
• Broken teeth
• Tooth knocked out or displaced from its socket
• Concussions
• Cerebral hemorrhages
• Incidents of unconsciousness
• Neck injuries by helping to avoid situations where the lower jaw gets jammed into the upper jaw
• Preventing laceration and bruising of the lips and cheeks, especially for those who wear orthodontic appliances
  
  Young children, in particular, often sustain damaged or dislodged teeth, fractured jaws and lacerated lips when participating in sports.