Super Bowl LIV is set for February 2 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, where the top two teams in pro football will vie for the coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy. Unfortunately, many of their fellow competitors (and some of their teammates) will still be nursing injuries from a long, grueling season. Injuries are a fact of life for one of America's most popular sports, with every part of a player's body vulnerable to trauma—including their teeth, gums and jaws.

But although they do occur, dental and oral injuries aren't at the top of the list of most frequent injuries in the NFL. That's because of the athletic mouthguard, an oral appliance small enough to hold in the palm of your hand. Made of pliable plastic, a mouthguard helps absorb damaging forces to the face and mouth generated by the inevitable hits that players take in the course of a game. According to the American Dental Association, a player is 60% more likely to incur a dental injury when not wearing a mouthguard.

And they're not just for the pros: Mouthguards are regarded as an essential part of protective gear for all participants of organized football and other contact sports. They're the best defense against injuries like fractured (cracked) teeth or tooth roots, knocked out teeth or teeth driven back into the jaw (tooth intrusion).

Mouthguards are readily available in sporting goods stores, but the best type of mouthguards are those that are custom-made by dentists for the individual player, created from impressions taken of that individual's teeth. Because custom mouthguards are more accurate, they tend to be less bulky than “boil and bite” mouthguards, and thus provide a better and more comfortable fit. And because of this superior fit, they offer better protection than their retail counterparts.

Because they're custom-made, they tend to be more expensive than other types of mouthguards. And younger athletes whose jaws are still developing may need a new mouthguard every few years to reflect changes in jaw growth. Even so, the expense of a custom mouthguard pales in comparison with the potential expense of treating an impact injury to the teeth or mouth.

If you or a member of your family are avid participants in football, basketball, hockey or similar high-contact sports, a mouthguard is a must. And just like the pros, a custom mouthguard is the best way to go to for comfort and ultimate protection.

If you would like more information about oral sports protection, please contact us or schedule an appointment. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Athletic Mouthguards” and “An Introduction to Sports Injuries & Dentistry.”

If we could go back in time, we all probably have a few things we wish we could change. Recently, Dr. Travis Stork, emergency room physician and host of the syndicated TV show The Doctors, shared one of his do-over dreams with Dear Doctor magazine: “If I [could have] gone back and told myself as a teenager what to do, I would have worn a mouthguard, not only to protect my teeth but also to help potentially reduce risk of concussion.”

What prompted this wish? The fact that as a teenage basketball player, Stork received an elbow to the mouth that caused his two front teeth to be knocked out of place. The teeth were put back in position, but they soon became darker and began to hurt. Eventually, both were successfully restored with dental crowns. Still, it was a painful (and costly) injury — and one that could have been avoided.

You might not realize it, but when it comes to dental injuries, basketball ranks among the riskier sports. Yet it’s far from the only one. In fact, according to the American Dental Association (ADA), there are some two dozen others — including baseball, hockey, surfing and bicycling — that carry a heightened risk of dental injury. Whenever you’re playing those sports, the ADA recommends you wear a high-quality mouth guard.

Mouthguards have come a long way since they were introduced as protective equipment for boxers in the early 1900’s. Today, three different types are widely available: stock “off-the-shelf” types that come in just a few sizes; mouth-formed “boil-and-bite” types that you adapt to the general contours of your mouth; and custom-made high-quality mouthguards that are made just for you at the dental office.

Of all three types, the dentist-made mouthguards are consistently found to be the most comfortable and best-fitting, and the ones that offer your teeth the greatest protection. What’s more, recent studies suggest that custom-fabricated mouthguards can provide an additional defense against concussion — in fact, they are twice as effective as the other types. That’s why you’ll see more and more professional athletes (and plenty of amateurs as well) sporting custom-made mouthguards at games and practices.

“I would have saved myself a lot of dental heartache if I had worn a mouthguard,” noted Dr. Stork. So take his advice: Wear a mouthguard whenever you play sports — unless you’d like to meet him (or one of his medical colleagues) in a professional capacity…

If you would like more information about mouthguards, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can read more in the Dear Doctor magazine article “Athletic Mouthguards.”

Mike Tyson's gap-toothed smile is part of athlete-turned-celebrity's signature look. During his two-decade career as a professional boxer, the former heavyweight champion has been known for both giving — and occasionally receiving — knockout punches. But the story of how he lost one set of front teeth is a bit more unusual.

In a recent interview with the Las Vegas Review Journal, Tyson's wife Kiki stated that one of the champ's major dental dilemmas didn't come from blows inside the ring. In fact, she said, Tyson lost the teeth after being head-butted by his pet tiger, Kenya.

It's too bad Tyson wasn't wearing a mouthguard before he decided to play with kitty.

Fight fans know that boxers always put in a mouthguard before they enter the ring. But the pugilistic pursuit is just one among the two-dozen-odd sports for which the American Dental Association recommends the use of custom mouthguards. Others include baseball, skateboarding, surfing and bicycling. (Maybe horsing around with tigers should be added to the list!)

Why is it so important for participants in athletic activities to use this piece of protective gear? According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, sports-related dental injuries account for over 600,000 emergency-room visits each year. Many of these injuries require further dental treatment; some may lead to tooth loss and require costly replacement. Not wearing a mouthguard makes an athlete 60 times more likely to sustain harm to the teeth, according to the American Dental Association. So there's really no contest.

You can find basic, off-the-shelf mouthguards in limited sizes at many sporting goods stores. But for a reasonable cost, we can provide you with a properly fitted dental appliance that's custom-made just for you. Starting with a precise model of your teeth, individual mouthguards are crafted from impact-resistant materials which are designed to be strong, comfortable, resilient — and effective.

Research shows that custom-made mouthguards offer superior quality and protection. So if you or your loved ones like to get out on the playing field, don't neglect this important piece of sporting equipment. And watch out for the cat.

If you have questions about mouthguards, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more in the Dear Doctor magazine article “Athletic Mouthguards.”