According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
(AAPD), approximately 30 million children in the US participate in some sort of
organized sports program, which is very good news for the youth of our
country. However, as pediatric dentists,
we see the only downside to having our young patients out there playing team
sports – the dental trauma from sporting accidents. The AAPD reports that about
32% of serious dental trauma occurs during sporting activities, with baseball
and basketball leading the pack as having the highest rates of sports-related
dental injuries. Mandating and updating gear
such as helmets and facemasks in sports like lacrosse and football have greatly
reduced the number of dental trauma injuries to our children, but we lag behind
greatly in the areas of protecting kids in other sports that do not mandate
protective facial gear.
As parents and professionals, what do we do? The consequences of orofacial trauma can
often go on for months or years, in terms of pain, expense, loss of time at
school (and parents’ work) and can psychologically affect children and teenagers
who may have to cope with broken or lost teeth. There
are some recommendations we can make to our patients which will hopefully lower
the risk of a serious injury to your child’s mouth and teeth – but they do involve
wearing a protective mouthguard consistently.
There are three types of mouthguards available:
- - “Stock” mouthguards can be purchased
over-the-counter at any sporting goods store.
They are designed for use without any modification and must be held in
place by clenching the teeth together. Positives:
They are a good option for those patients whose mouths are rapidly changing
because of orthodontic brackets and appliances. Negatives: These mouthguards
can be cumbersome and can interfere with breathing or speaking. They may also
provide less protection than custom mouthguards, as their retention can be
poor.
- - Mouth-formed “boil-and-bite” mouthguards are
adapted to the mouth by immersing the appliance into hot water and then
applying biting pressure to the mouthguard for fit. Positives: These mouthguards are most
commonly used by athletes because they are more comfortable than the “stock”
mouthguards, can be purchased at most sporting good stores, and can be fitted in the
convenience of your own home. Negatives: They can vary greatly in size, protection,
retention, comfort and cost.
- - Custom-fabricated mouthguards are the most
highly recommended type of mouthguards – these are produced from a dental model
of the patient’s mouth and delivered with the supervision of a dentist. Positives: Superior because they are designed for maximum
protection, cushioning and retention by ensuring all the teeth are covered, as it
is fabricated with a highly detailed dental impression.
Negatives: In children and teenagers, their mouths change so rapidly
that often a custom-fabricated mouthguard may not last more than one sports season
(3-6 months), and it
can also be the most expensive option. This
process involves 2 appointments – the 1st
is to take a dental impression and the 2nd appointment is to deliver the final
mouthguard. When a custom mouthguard is not available or feasable, the
Academy for Sports Dentistry (ASD) prefers the mouth-formed or “boil-and-bite”
mouthguard.
It’s always best to talk to your dentist during your child’s
exam as to the best course of action to take when protecting them from
high-impact sports. We have trained our children to make the automatic move to
click their seat belt when they get into the car, or put on a bike helmet, so it
is time to take the first step in training them to become adults who consider a
mouthguard a crucial part of their sporting equipment. Together we can all do our best to make sure the
beautiful smiles we work so hard to keep are there for their lifetime!
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