The first thought a parent has when it comes to preventing sports-related concussions in their children is to buy the most technologically advanced helmet on the market.
Sure shock absorbent foam pads and a titanium face guard goes a long way, but many people improperly use or forget about the most important piece of protection, the mouth guard, said dentures providers.
The benefits of wearing a mouth guard during contact sports can not be reiterated enough.
They extend far beyond simply providing protection.
With today's advancements in technology, they can improve an athletes performance and increase strength.
Mouth guards are dental appliances made out of acrylic that are worn over the teeth to protect the mouth's soft tissues (lips, cheeks, gums tongue) and hard tissues (teeth and jaw bones).
Sports guards come in a variety of types: stock, boil and bite and custom-made.
The most cost-effective mouth guard is called a stock guard.
They can be found at most sporting goods stores, come in limited sizes and are the least protective.
They are usually too big for the athlete, which means they lack retention and have to be held in the mouth by biting down.
Choosing an off the shelf guard restricts proper breathing and impedes speech, according to dental experts who offer Invisalign and other orthodontic services.
Because they are big and bulky, athletes will cut them down to make them fit, but what they are really doing is trimming down the guards protective properties.
Boil and bite mouth guards can also be found at most athletic stores and require the user to boil the guard in water and form it to their teeth using finger, tongue and biting pressure.
Sometimes they do not cover all the back teeth and like stock guards the user trims them down for comfort.
Believe A lot of athletes complain about a gagging sensation when they use these guards because they are so big.
And yet again they are cutting them down to fit and decreasing its purpose, leaving them susceptible to injury.
The only mouth guard that addresses the important issues of fit and function is a custom-made guard created by a dentist.
While it is the most expensive choice, it provides the most protection and comfort for users.
Most of the benefits of using a guard are clearly visible when the athlete uses it, however other benefits are not as easily seen.
Custom fabricated guards can be made to correct misalignment of the jaw, which improves performance by increasing oxygen intake during physical activity and decreases tension in the jaw.
Tension in the jaw can hinder an athlete from performing to their fullest abilities, when muscles are at ease airway is open and users will see a difference in their balance, strength, flexibility and agility.
The most important advantage of a mouth guard is that they can help protect athletes from concussions.
During impact, an athlete tightens their jaw around the guard, which in turn protects the skull and neck.
Injury is also lessened as the guard creates a cushioning pocket of air between the jawbone and the skull minimizing the impact.