An Athletic Mouthguard for the Athlete in Your Edison, NJ, Family

Think of a sport. Any sport. Now think of the safety equipment athletes in that particular sport wear. There might be shoulder pads, shin guards, a helmet and the list goes on. But what is the one piece of safety equipment that all athletes need? A mouthguard. Whether your sport is a contact sport or not, a mouthguard is necessary to protect your teeth, gums, lips, face and jaw. Take the time to meet with Dr. Steven J. Resnick or Dr. David S. Rosenfeld of Resnick & Rosenfeld DDS in Edison, NJ, to find out which type of mouthguard is best for you.

Why Wear a Mouthguard

Let’s face it—accidents are not scheduled. They happen unexpectedly. With this in mind, a mouthguard is not only beneficial to people who participate in contact sports. Even if you’re into a noncontact sport, such as biking, skateboarding or gymnastics, traumatic injury to the mouth, teeth, gums and face are a real possibility. Recent studies have found that a mouthguard can even reduce the severity of a concussion. Furthermore, the American Dental Association estimates that mouthguards prevent some 200,000 mouth injuries in high school and college football every years. Obviously, the costs of not wearing a mouthguard are much more than monetary, but in terms of dollars one missing tooth can amount to more than $10,000 in dental care over a lifetime.

Types of Mouthguards

There are three types of common mouthguards. The first is a preformed guard that is available in most sporting goods store. They tend to be bulky and because they are not fitted to your teeth, they may be uncomfortable. The second mouthguard is known as boil and bite. Made of a thermoplastic material, it is dipped in warm water and then placed in the mouth and formed around the teeth using your fingers and tongue. Finally, there is a custom-fitted mouthguard. Dr. Resnick or Dr. Rosenfeld will take an impression of your teeth to make a mold from which your personal mouthguard is fabricated.

Call Our Office Today

If you or a family member is athletically active, call the Edison, NJ, office of Resnick & Rosenfeld to determine which mouthguard is best. We also serve patients in Clark, Plainfield, Colonia, Scotch Plains and Westfield and beyond.