According to the ADA, more than 200,000 oral injuries are prevented annually by sports Mouthguards (1). While this number may sound impressive, it is eclipsed by the estimated 5 million teeth that will be knocked out in sporting events this year alone (2). If only there was a way to prevent it, right? It turns out there is, and it’s very simple, unbelievably affordable, and can be ready to go in just a few weeks. Mouthguards are common, simple and yet very effective, when used properly and consistently.

These oral traumas will happen to children, high school and college level athletes, across the whole spectrum of sports. Dental injuries are the most common type of orofacial injuries sustained during sports participation, and yet they are entirely avoidable. It’s easy to understand that your child should wear a mouth guard while participating in sports like football, wrestling or boxing, but each sport carries its own risks. Mountain biking, gymnastics, volleyball, rollerblading/skateboarding, softball/baseball and competitive level snow and water sports also carry high risks of dental trauma, often in higher proportions than sports you might think of.In 1995 a study was conducted by Dr. Raymond Flanders that concluded that only .07% of injuries came from high school football (3) (where mouthguards are mandatory), compared with 34% from basketball, a game not particular known of as a contact sport.If your child is involved in hockey, let’s talk turkey for a minute, because he or she simply MUST have a mouth guard. Studies have shown that the cost for rehabilitating a single tooth can be as much as 20-times the cost of a mouthgaurd (4). With that in mind, it’s such an obvious investment, you’d almost have to be crazy to pass it up. So now you know you need it, because cost, pain and long-term outcome make it an easy, obvious choice. But what sort of mouthguard should you get? Sporting goods stores carry inexpensive stock or “boil and bite” guards for fairly reasonable prices, while your dentist can offer better fitted, more comprehensive solutions. Which is right for you? First of all, cost should never be an objective. If you can not afford even a store-bought, off the shelf mouth guard, you surely can’t afford to fix your face when it’s accidentally banged up in an elbow-to-the-face accident. The perpetrator gets three minutes of penalty, while you’re left with a lifetime of pain and embarrassment. The bottom line, according to studies, is that these inexpensive boil and bite mouth guards provide a false sense of security. Considering the cost difference is only a few hundred dollars (compared to thousands for tooth repair, replacement or dental implant), the surest method is to ask your dentist for a custom fit mouthguard.Custom laminated mouthguards are tailored exactly to the shape of your mouth and are thicker, stronger and more secure than anything available off the shelf. If you have any doubt about what you need, ask your dentist directly. Don’t wait for your next appointment if it’s important. Just pick up the phone and call. When it comes to having teeth not knocked out of your head, he or she will always take the call and give you the best advice they are able.

1 – American Dental Association, Council on Dental Materials, Mouth Protectors and Sports Team Dentists, JADA 1984: 109; 84-7
2 – Dental Injury Fact Sheet, National Youth Sports Foundation for the Prevention of Athletic Injury, Inc., Needham, Massachusetts, 1992
3 – Flanders, Raymond A. DDS, Mohandes Bhat, DDS, The Incidence of Orofacial Injuries in Sports, A Pilot Study in Illinois, JADA Vol. 126, April 1995; p. 491-6
4 – Padilla, Ray DDS, Sports Dentistry and Prevention of Oral Injuries, CDA Sessions, Anaheim, California; May 12, 1995

Most fillings in molars are done with metal-colored materials, rather than tooth-colored materials. One hearty laugh and your fillings are showing, and for some people this can be a point of embarrassment, but it doesn’t have to be. The procedure is called “Posterior Restoration,” and it’s a term that’s already been the butt of a good many jokes, but if you want to guffaw in mixed company, it’s no laughing matter. If you’re looking to replace those old, metal fillings with new, tooth-colored fillings, you probably have a lot of questions. We’ll run down the basic procedure, but if you still have questions, call and set up an appointment and we’ll be happy to answer any other questions you may have. 

The Posterior Appointment  I know, I know, it sounds funny, but posterior just refers to back teeth, as opposed to anterior. Replacing an old posterior filling, crown or bridge can be achieved through a variety of techniques. Sometimes it can be done in a single visit to the office using composite resin filling material. If best results can’t be had in a single trip, we’ll have our skilled, local laboratory fabricate your restoration to our exacting standards. As an important side note, even though it is more expensive for us, we never order laboratory fabrications from overseas providers. The strict standards required in the United States have always provided us with the highest quality standards possible, and as a result, our practice was not affected by the accidental introduction of lead into dental work last year.

The Preparation Appointment  When natural tooth structure can be retained, a cosmetic inlay or onlay may be made from porcelain (or a stronger composite materials only available through a dental laboratory.) When natural tooth structure can not be preserved, a tooth-colored full-coverage crown or bridge may be needed to achieve the desired aesthetic results. The old restoration and any decay will be removed from your tooth at this time. Once this is done, impressions will be taken of the prepared area and sent to the laboratory for custom fabrication. A temporary restoration will be put onto your tooth until the new one is ready. Be very careful with this one, as it is not as strong as the permanent will be. Avoid caramel, hard candy and contact sports that might require a mouth guard.

The Cementation Appointment  Once the fabrication is done and ready to go, you’ll come back in to have the temporary piece removed and replaced. We’ll use the strongest, industry-leading bonding agent to permanently cement your new restoration in place.Your newly restored tooth will look, feel and function like your natural teeth and require the same degree of care to preserve. Our dental practice embraces aesthetic and functional dentistry to help you obtain the attractive and healthy smile that you desire. We focus on our patients, and as dental care providers, it is our intention to help you achieve and maintain a beautiful and healthy smile through regularly scheduled checkups and planned treatment.