BURIEN
WEST SEATTLE
October 1, 2013
The Importance of Mouthguards for Those in Orthodontic Treatment
Dr. Peralta and his staff here at your leading Seattle, WA orthodontic office would like to wish all our school-aged patients good luck in the 2013-14 school year! Now that school is back in session and fall sports are being played, we’d like to remind our patients wearing braces and other orthodontic appliances of the importance of wearing mouthguards.
Mouthguards Protect Against Serious Injury
When you wear a mouthguard while playing sports or when partaking in any activity that poses a risk of injury to the face or mouth, it will help cushion a blow to the face, minimizing the risk of broken teeth, injuries to your lips, tongue, face or jaw. A mouthguard is designed to cover your upper teeth and provides protection for the soft tissues of your lips, tongue and insides of your cheeks.
A mouthguard should be a part of your standard sporting equipment. Studies have proven that athletes are 60 times more likely to suffer injuries to the teeth if they’re not wearing a mouthguard. While you may associate the wearing of mouthguards with sports like football and boxing, a mouthguard also should be worn when playing many different sports, including:
In short, if you are partaking in any activity that carries a risk of you becoming injured in the face due to a fall or blow, you should be wearing a mouthguard. By doing so, you will greatly reduce the risk of serious injury.
A Custom Mouthguard Provides the Ultimate Level of Protection
You can find stock, or ready-to-wear mouthguards, and boil-and-bite mouthguards for sale at many drug stores and sporting good stores. While these two types of mouthguards do provide adequate protection against injury, a custom mouth guard made by our Seattle orthodontist will provide you with the highest level of protection, lowest profile and most precise fit.
When you are wearing braces or another type of orthodontic appliance it is still important to wear a mouthguard. There are special mouthguards available that don’t fit precisely to the teeth in order to accomodate changes in the teeth and bite, but still act as a barrier between your braces/appliance and your cheeks or lips to limit the risk of soft tissue injuries.
If you or your child is in need of a mouthguard, please contact our Seattle orthodontist office so we can help you choose the right mouthguard that will provide you with the best level of protection!
