As with many dentists, Dr. Justin Deckard, your quality dentist in Washington DC, recommends wearing mouthguards for most sports. At DC Precision Dentistry, we offer custom mouthguard services to make sure your teeth are protected no matter what sport you’re playing.
Why Do I Need a Mouthguard?
A mouthguard is essential to protecting your teeth and gums during contact sports like football, soccer, and hockey. Sports like these can be large risks for trauma to the teeth or a dental emergency. Thankfully, these are easily preventable with a mouthguard. They’re designed to cover both gums and teeth, so both soft and hard tissue is protected from injury.
A Custom Mouthguard Vs. Over the Counter
Many people don’t seem to think that the mouthguard needs to be custom. Drugstores sell boil and bite mouthguards that claim to fit any size mouth. While they technically do, they’re often ill-fitting and can fall out while you’re running around. Many of these over-the-counter mouthguards also cause irritation to the gums.
In addition, you often have to clench your jaw throughout a game or practice to keep the mouthguard in place. This can lead to other dental problems like TMJ disorders. Clenching your teeth can lead to headaches and tension in your face and jaw. This isn’t something that you want to have to deal with. If you would like more information on TMJ disorders and how we treat them, please see TMJ treatment.
At DC Precision Dentistry, we make mouthguards that are fitted directly to your smile. We use impressions made of your smile to make a snug mouthguard that won’t irritate your gums. You also won’t have to clench your teeth to keep it in or worry about it falling out. With a mouthguard that fits properly, you’ll be able to speak and drink water with it in. You don’t have to keep taking it out to yell to your teammates
You’re also able to get the thickness you need. For certain sports, like boxing, you’ll need something thicker than you would if you were playing tennis. It all depends on the chance of impact and how much impact the mouthguard will have to disperse.
Mouthguards help lessen the impact that a hit would put on your brain. It keeps your upper and lower jaws apart so that they don’t smack together, making a connection that would reverberate to your brain. If you get a custom mouthguard, it can be made to fit over any dental appliances that you may have. You don’t want to have to repair braces or a denture. That’s why we make sure we cover everything you may have in your mouth.
Your Washington, DC Dentist
Don’t endanger your smile playing sports without protection. DC Precision Dentistry will fit you for a mouthguard that’s more comfortable than you can imagine. Call us today or schedule an appointment online!