Sports are one of the most common ways children chip or lose a front tooth, and unlike a bruise, a broken adult tooth does not grow back. A good mouthguard is one of the cheapest, easiest pieces of protection a young athlete can wear.
Why the drugstore kind falls short
Boil-and-bite guards from the shop are better than nothing, but they are bulky, they loosen, and kids stop wearing the ones that make it hard to breathe or talk. A guard that lives forgotten in the gym bag protects no one.
What a custom guard does better
A custom guard is molded to your child's exact teeth, so it is thinner, stays put, and is comfortable enough that they actually keep it in. It cushions a blow across the whole arch and helps protect against the jaw impacts a loose guard misses.
Growing mouths need updates
A child's mouth changes fast as new teeth come in and the jaw grows, so a guard that fit last season may not fit now. We check the fit at regular visits and remake it when their smile has outgrown it, which is far cheaper than fixing a broken tooth.
Not just for contact sports
Basketball elbows, a fall off a bike, a stray hockey stick: plenty of the front-tooth injuries we see are not from tackle sports at all. If your child is active, ask us about a guard at their next visit and we will take a quick mold.
Unlike a bruise, a broken adult tooth does not grow back. A mouthguard is the cheapest protection a young athlete can wear.
