Are Those Your Real Teeth?!
It’s pretty simple. If you play sports, wear a mouthguard. Unless, of course, you like the “hillbilly” look! Which also keeps me in business!
A dental avulsion is the complete displacement of a tooth or teeth from its socket, due to direct trauma. The treatment of avulsed teeth has come a long way by ways in which we treat the situation. Before, the tooth was re-implemented as soon as possible after the avulsion and only had a success rate of four to fifty percent. Advances in different treatment procedures have brought that poor success rate up to nearly 90 percent, according to Dentistry Today.
Dentistry Today also states that “More than 5 million teeth are avulsed each year due to sports injuries and trauma,and in certain cases these avulsions can be attributed to the absence of a mouthguard or to improperly fabricated and fitted mouthguards.”
The impact a sports-related injury can have on your mouth is very costly, in both time and money. Losing a tooth, or even worse, TEETH, can be very difficult when it comes to smiling, eating, talking—everything!
All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth!
There are various types of mouthguards, and not all of them are created equal! A mouthguard or mouth protector will help cushion the blow if you’re struck in the face. It can also minimize the risk of shattered teeth and other injuries to your tongue, lips, throat, and jaw.
Below I’ll break down the various types of mouthguards to give you a better understanding of what they look like.
- Custom-fitted: Personally made for you by your dentist. These offer the best fit.
- Stock: These are inexpensive and come preformed, ready to wear.
- Boil and bite: Sold at many sporting goods stores, these offer a better fit than stock mouth protectors. They are first softened in boiling water and then inserted and allowed to form to the shape of your mouth.
Trust Us, They’re Worth It!
I know that a custom mouthguard seems expensive, but on the flip side, so is dental work to replace a missing tooth (or teeth) that will require a bridge or implant! So be proactive when it comes to the athlete in your house and set up an appointment, EARLY, to have a mouthguard fitted!
~ Dr. Rhea Haugseth
Rhea M. Haugseth, DMD maintained a private practice in Marietta, GA from 1982- 2017. She attended the University of Louisville Dental School and completed her pediatric dental residency at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital / Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. She is proud to be a Fellow the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists, and the Pierre Fauchard Academy – National Honorary Organizations for Dentists.
Dr. Haugseth is a Past President of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), the Southeastern Society of Pediatric Dentistry (SSPD), and the Georgia Academy of Pediatric Dentistry(GaPD). Dr. Haugseth has been a National Spokesperson for the AAPD since 1989 and has been frequently interviewed for radio, print, and national television.
Dr. Haugseth is the Founder (2013) and Director of the Atlanta Pediatric Dental Assistant School in Atlanta Georgia. She is also the Founder (2014) and Director of the Pediatric Dental Team Association. She is committed to pediatric dental team members and continues to develop ways to enhance their knowledge and skills both in and out of the dental office.