A custom fit mouthguard keeps you in the game

  • Published
  • By Dr. (Capt.) Ryan M. Diepenbrock
  • 97th Medical Group
ALTUS AFB --  Nearly five million teeth are "knocked out" each year resulting in roughly $500 million dollars annually to replace or repair them. Sports related injuries account for an estimated 15-40 percent of dental trauma, and cause three times as many injuries as traffic accidents or violence. A great number of these injuries could have been prevented. 

Children and young adults between 10-19 years of age comprise the highest number of dental injuries. Basketball, skiing/snowboarding, bicycling, skateboarding, and soccer cause far more injuries than the high contact sports of football, hockey, or boxing. Participants in activities such as lacrosse, gymnastics, wrestling, in-line skating, and martial-arts are also at risk for dental trauma. 

A properly constructed mouth guard can greatly decrease the chances of sports' related dental injuries by providing a layer of cushioning for the teeth, lips, gums, surrounding bones and jaw.
Many people's idea of a "mouth guard" is the type you buy at a sporting goods store. This type is heated in boiling water, removed, and bitten into. These products come in a variety of sizes, colors, designs and costs. The manufacturers use catchy packaging and make convincing claims about their products' protective qualities. Many of these claims are without warrant. These mouth guards do not protect you or your children as much as the packages state. They do not have a tight fit, are easily distorted or damaged, and they become less effective over time. Although "boil and bite" mouth guards are better than nothing, there is much better protection available. 

A dentist can make a mouth guard to custom fit your mouth. A custom fit mouth guard provides better retention, improved comfort, more durability, and improved speech. In addition, a custom fit mouth guard will offer better protection to the teeth, lips, gums, and bone. New research also shows that custom fit mouth guards may be beneficial in preventing head injuries such as concussions.
The price of a custom fit mouth guard is slightly more than the "high-end" store mouth guard, but the increased protection can save the cost of fixing or replacing a tooth. 

Contact your civilian dentist or the Altus Air Force Base dental clinic to see how you can protect those "pearly whites". If you are an active duty member interested in having a sports mouth guard fabricated for yourself, schedule an appointment at the Altus AFB Dental Clinic by calling 481-5262.