Sports Savvy
Prevent Oral Trauma with a Custom Mouth Guard
By Amy Morgan
With Northeast ISD schools starting August 17, athletes are returning to the field to prepare for their fall season. As you stock up on socks and cleats, don’t forget an essential piece of equipment – a mouthguard.
Mouthguards reduce the risk of injury from an accidental fall or hit to the face by spreading the force of a blow over a larger area and absorbing some of the shock. Athletes are 60 times more likely to suffer an injury to the mouth when they are not wearing a mouthguard, according to the American Dental Association (ADA). Well-made mouthguards may also reduce the rate and severity of concussions, the organization reports, which considers custom-made mouthguards the most protective option.
Many teens either currently wear braces or have recently completed orthodontia. Protect your investment! A hit to the mouth can chip, break or even take out a tooth and cause bone damage – undoing years of treatment in an instant, said Sarah Martinez, office manager at the 7to7 Dental & Orthodontics location on TPC Parkway. She has seen many emergencies in her 11 years with the practice. When a ball or other piece of sports equipment hits the face, teeth can be broken or pushed in. Not only is this painful – because teeth are surrounded by sensitive nerves – permanent teeth do not grow back. Fixing or replacing broken teeth can be expensive and require multiple procedures. Your athlete also could break the bones of their jaw. Another risk of tooth injury is displacement. If tooth alignment is compromised, the treatment is surgery.
“Custom mouthguards fit better and are less likely to fall out,” Sarah emphasized. Dental professionals will use a patient’s unique mouth impressions to craft a mouthguard from thermoplastic material that is much more durable than the generic plastic found in store-bought mouthguards. In contrast, you basically "boil & bite" the others, which can leave room for error. Once your athlete has received a mouthguard, which can be made in Rattler green or Jaguar blue to match uniform colors, make sure they clean it regularly to keep it from growing bacteria.
Playing contact sports can be especially dangerous for young athletes in braces. Braces-wearers can suffer sports injury trauma because off-the-shelf, moldable mouthguards are unable to cover braces and sometimes break them off. As you plan for your teen’s orthodontia needs, keep in mind that Invisalign liners can serve double duty as a mouthguard, protecting a school-aged athlete’s smile while straightening teeth.
7to7 Dental & Orthodontics has positioned two of its 12 offices in the North San Antonio corridor to serve the needs of the many families living in or moving to the fast-growing area. It’s just a quick trip to the office at 20122 Stone Oak Parkway or the location across from the J.W. Marriott, allowing your family to fit a dental visit into a busy schedule. TPC Managing Dentist Rebeca Garcia, D.D.S. has been with 7to7 Dental for five years. Dr. Garcia graduated from UT Health San Antonio’s Dental School in 2019, after which she completed at two-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency.
Book an appointment today for a custom mouthguard or consider the protective benefits of Invisalign. The practice is open from 7 a.m.- 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. -5 p.m., weekends. 7to7 Dental offers a one stop shop for dentistry for the whole family and emergencies. Insured patients pay nothing out of pocket for Brighter Whiter cleanings and exams for adults and children or second opinion evaluations.
