In some sports, injury prevention, through properly fitted mouthguards are considered essential.

These are the contact sports of football, boxing, martial arts and hockey. Other sports, traditionally classified as non contact sports, basketball, baseball, bicycle riding, roller blading, soccer, wrestling, racquetball, surfing and skateboarding also require properly fitted mouthguards, as dental injuries unfortunately, are a negative aspect of participation in these sports.

Unfortunately, boil and bite mouthguards bought at sporting good stores do not provide the optimum treatment needed by an sporting person. This is the precise reason why mouthguards bought at sporting good stores, without the recommendation of a qualified dentist, should not be worn.

THE FACTS

• It has been shown that properly fabricated custom made mouthguards by your dentist can reduce the rate of concussion as well as dental and mandibular injuries.
  
• Dental injuries are the most common type of orofacial injury sustained during participation in sports; the majority of these dental injuries are preventable.
  
• The cost of a fractured tooth is many times greater than the cost of a dentist diagnosed and designed professionally made mouthguard.
  
• Mouthguards should be worn at all times during competition; in practice as well as in games.