When it comes to your child’s dental health, you have no option but to have it all right. Making unnecessary mistakes may lead to permanent damages to these young people’s lives. Therefore, it is critical that at any cost, you have the right professionals working with you, especially in issues such as the use of mouth guards because they are not regulated. If you are looking for mouth guards in Houston, your best option is through a pediatric dentist in Houston. Having emphasized that, let us discuss mouth guards in the context of pediatric dental health.

What are mouth guards?

You might have heard of them as sports guards because of their predominant usage in sports, but they are essential dental equipment that protects children from the heavy impact on their mouths. It is commonly used to protect the children’s dental features when they are participating in intense recreational or sporting activities. Mouth guards work by absorbing the effect of the impact that would affect the teeth.

The equipment is fitted snugly inside the mouth over the upper teeth to protect the overall mouth region from a heavy impact. What you get is your teeth with the right cushion from damage, thus preserving not just the trauma that would come from broken teeth but also the aesthetics of a perfect smile. Authoritative pediatric dental organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommend the use of mouth guards during every potential high impact activity. They are affordable, making them a piece of valuable health equipment to acquire.

How mouth guards protect your child

The mouth guards, by design, are intended to protect the teeth. However, they extend their protection to other parts of the oral region. Being that they protect the teeth from traumatic impact from an intense collision, their ability to absorb the force enables them to protect another part of the mouth by preventing the transmission of the destructive force. The force on the teeth without the guard would affect the jaw, subsequently the central nervous system and the brain. Traumatic brain injury can thus be prevented through the simple use of the mouth guard.

Chances of other injuries such as cheek lesion, fracture of teeth, tongue injury, jawbone fractures, injuries on the soft tissues and the gum, injury on the lips, and concussions because of the impact are reduced.

Types of mouth guard

There are various types of mouth guards. Here are the types of mouth guards and their definitive features.

The stock mouth guards

You can get these mouth guards from the shelves of a shop, and your child can wear them immediately. They come in a general size that does not adjust to a specific mouth size and structure. The stock mouth guards are less costly and easy to fit without any professional involvement. However, it comes with various disadvantages, such as it inhibits breathing, you do not get the best protection from them, and they are generally unaffordable for your child.

Boil and bit mouth guard

These mouth guards are made from thermoplastic materials such that you boil them, then they become malleable enough to take the shape of your dental structure and fit perfectly. The mouth guards can be purchased from any sporting shop over the counter. As long as the procedure for use is done in the right way, they will fit perfectly. Although they cost more compared to stock mouth guards, they have multiple advantages such as they offer better protection, they are more comfortable, and your child can breathe and talk with ease.

Customized mouth guards

With these mouth guards, you get the best protection for your child. However, you have to visit a dentist to have mouth guards that are perfectly designed for your child to be developed by the dentist and get the best protection that money can buy. They are made from the impression of your child’s teeth such that the mouth guards fit perfectly. However, you will pay more.

If you are in Bear Creek, Copperfield, Katy, and Cypress, all you need to do is search your map for a pediatric dentist near me, and you will find your way to the ideal mouth guards Houston from a pediatric dentist in Houston, TX. Remember, do not relent in getting the best protection for your child.