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Athletic Mouthguards – Palm Harbor, FL

Get Your Child Ready to Hit the Field!

If your child has a sport or physical activity that they love, you certainly don’t want their fun to be interrupted by an accident that breaks or knocks out their teeth. You can buy athletic mouthguards from a store, but they likely won’t be fitted for your child’s one-of-a-kind smile; that limits the quality of the protection they can provide. Instead, call our dental office to ask a teen dentist, Dr. Maggie or Dr. Lorielle, about custom-made Sportsguards for teens in Palm Harbor, FL.

Why Choose Dr. Maggie Davis & Associates for Athletic Mouthguards?

  • Custom-Made Guards for Each Child
  • Two Dentists with Children of Their Own
  • Available for Children of All Ages

How Are Mouthguards Made?

Two custom-made mouthguards to be worn while engaging in sports

You may be familiar with the putty used to take dental impressions. With this material, we can create a lifelike model of your child’s mouth. A dental lab can use said model to create a customized mouthguard based on the exact shape of your child’s teeth and gums. It may take a few weeks for the final appliance to be created, so try to schedule your first visit well before your child will actually need to wear it.

Benefits of Using a Custom Mouthguard

A football player wearing a helmet with his mouthguard hanging off it

A custom mouthguard will fit snugly over all of the teeth, protecting them from the impact of various kinds of accidents. The appliance will be carefully designed so that it is just thick enough to cushion the teeth and gums in case your child takes a blow to the face. It should also leave plenty of room between the top and bottom teeth so that your child will be able to breathe easily (particularly when they are exerting themselves). A generic mouthguard that was pre-fitted at the store will not necessarily offer your child these benefits.

Additional benefits that come with having a custom mouthguard created for your child include:

  • Protection from fracture and other, more serious damage: It’s not just about protecting their pearly whites from being chipped or broken, a custom mouthguard can also better protect against more serious damage (i.e. root, bone, or jaw) that can lead to necessary complex treatment.
  • Customized to their smile: Allowing a teen dentist to create a custom-made mouthguard for your child will ensure their appliance fits comfortably and appropriately within their mouth. These devices are not one-size-fits-all. Instead, you can rest easy knowing their oral appliance is better protecting their smile while on the court or field.
  • Improved breathing ability: In some cases, bulky, store-bought mouthguards can make it difficult for your child to breathe easily while engaged in their favorite sport. With a custom mouthguard that is created using their own impressions, technicians can ensure the protective device is made to ensure there is proper airflow when worn.
  • Longer-lasting smile: By choosing to protect your child’s teeth from damage or injury, you are putting them at a far greater advantage of possessing a healthier smile for longer. Oftentimes, sports-related injuries or even teeth grinding or clenching can cause excessive wear and tear on the teeth as well as thinning of the enamel. Custom mouthguards made by a teen dentist reduce the likeliness for this problem and help to keep their teeth in better shape for years to come.

Which Sports Benefit Most from the Use of Mouthguards?

A female teenager playing softball and wearing a glove to catch the ball

No matter what sport your teenager plays, you are likely going to want them to have a custom mouthguard. This is not uncommon, especially as the parent who is sitting on the sidelines cringing each time you watch them take a hit or dodge a ball. The American Dental Association recommends that teens who engage in the following sports should, without a doubt, wear a custom mouthguard to protect their teeth, gums, and facial structure:

  • Gymnastics
  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Boxing
  • Field Hockey
  • Football
  • Ice Hockey
  • Lacrosse
  • Martial Arts
  • Racquetball
  • Rugby
  • Skateboarding
  • Skiing
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Surfing
  • Volleyball
  • Water Polo
  • Weightlifting
  • Wrestling