Custom Mouthguards in Townsville
Do you or your children take part in contact sports or other activities that put your teeth at risk of injury? A custom mouthguard helps to protect your teeth and is comfortable to wear.
Find out more about custom mouthguards by booking a consultation at North Queensland Family Dental. Call us on 07 4755 2055 or get in touch online.
What is a mouthguard?
Hate those goey uncomfortable dental impressions? Don’t we alll Wel, you’re in luck. At North Queensland Family Dental, we use an intra-oral scanner which takes thousands of photos of your teeth and stitches them together, making a digital model of your mouth that 1s 30 printed. This allows us to accurately confirm the size, coverage and thickness needed before your mouthguard can be manufactured.
A mouthguard is an oral device that’s worn over your teeth (usually only the upper teeth) to help protect them against impacts and shocks.
At our Townsville clinic, we provide custom-fitted mouthguards designed to be the right fit for you or your child’ individual mouth. These offer more protection and are more comfortable than mouthguards bought in stores.
Why are mouthguards important?
Contact sports such as football, hockey, martial arts and basketball are part of our healthy, active Queensland life. But these activities are also the most common cause of injuries to the teeth and mouth.
If you or your child plays any sport where there’s a chance of being hit in the jaw or head, wearing a custom-made mouthguard will help to prevent common dental injuries such as chipping, breaking or knocking out teeth. It can also protect against soft tissue injuries such as split lips, cheeks and gums.
It’s not only contact sports that carry a risk of dental injuries, but also activities such as skateboarding, cycling and dancing. A mouthguard may not prevent all injuries, but it can significantly reduce their severity and usually prevents the need for corrective dental treatment.
If you or your child grind your teeth at night, we may prescribe a special type of mouthguard called an occlusal splint. This can prevent teeth grinding (bruxism) and help with TMJ problems.
What makes a custom mouthguard different?
You’ve probably seen mouthguards on sale at sports stores. These include stock mouthguards in a range of sizes and ‘boil and bite’ mouthguards that are boiled in water and moulded to the shape of your teeth.
While these over-the-counter products sill offer some protection for your teeth, they’re less effective than custom mouthguards that have been specially designed for your mouth. in some cases, they can even make injuries more serious if they get damaged or lodged in your throat.
We can make your custom mouthguard from clear plastic to be less visible in your mouth or in a range of colours to make it more appealing for children to wear.
Can I wear a mouthguard if I have braces?
Yes – in fact, we strongly recommend it! If you or your child are undergoing orthodontic treatment, a mouthguard is important to help protect fixed braces from damage.
For orthodontic patients, we may recommend that mouthguards are worn over both the upper and lower teeth. If you have a removable orthodontic appliance, this should be removed before you take part in sports.
How can I look after my mouthguard?
When you receive your mouthguard from our dentists, you should make sure it’s carefully stored until you need it. Keep it in a sealed container out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources to prevent it from changing shape.
You should clean your mouthguard thoroughly before and after every use to keep yourself safe from germs. If you use soap, make sure it’s rinsed off completely before you wear or store the mouthguard.
Bring it with you on your regular check-ups so we can check that it’s still in good condition or if it needs to be replaced.