CAMBRIDGE DENTAL PRACTICE. CAMBRIDGE DENTAL PRACTICE Tis the Season to wear MOUTHGUARDS! Dr Rosalind Peart Hi everyone. I have already seen my first Saturday Rugby whoopsie where a high tackle resulted in a very hard head connecting with someone's front teeth. Considering the state of the teeth I expect the head has a few chunks out of it but will heal uneventfully. Not so the teeth unfortunately. A fit , strong, good looking 27 year old now has a lifetime of unpleasant, costly dental treatment ahead and ultimately is likely to lose his upper front teeth before he is 50. And that's with excellent care and ACC contribution. So mouthguards, here's the low down. No 1. WEAR ONE. Something is better than nothing and wear it always, not just at actual games. l'm dazzled that a practice or training session is somehow deemed not mouthguard worthy. are designed to have optimal fit, excellent retention, stability and comfort for an individual. There is no doubt they offer the best protection. Studies show they interfere the least with oral function and player performance. 2. Self-adapted mouthguards. Softened in hot water and moulded to the oral cavity they are unstable and irregular in material distribution. They offer poor prevention of orotacial injury. 3. Stock mouthguards. These ready made options are bulky, have no retention unless the mouth is closed so one cannot breath or speak. They offer virtually no protection at all. Apart from damage to teeth, the soft tissues and bony fractures there is one other very important consideration. A CMG will position the jaw to absorb impact forces that would otherwise be transmitted via the base of the skull to the brain. Concussion and more so repeated episodes of concussion can result in serious brain damage in the short and long terms as we all know. If you're playing a contact sport the cost of a properly designed and fabricated mouth guard may just be worthwhile in the interests of preserving your brain. There a 3 options. 1. Custom made Mouthguards (CMGS) In an ideal world everyone would have one of these. They are prepared by a dentist and while they are the most costly option they have considerable advantages above others. They Kind Regards, Ros. 9A Anzac Street I (Opposite New World) I Tel: 07 8275079 I www.cambridgedental.co.nz CAMBRIDGE DENTAL PRACTICE. CAMBRIDGE DENTAL PRACTICE Tis the Season to wear MOUTHGUARDS! Dr Rosalind Peart Hi everyone. I have already seen my first Saturday Rugby whoopsie where a high tackle resulted in a very hard head connecting with someone's front teeth. Considering the state of the teeth I expect the head has a few chunks out of it but will heal uneventfully. Not so the teeth unfortunately. A fit , strong, good looking 27 year old now has a lifetime of unpleasant, costly dental treatment ahead and ultimately is likely to lose his upper front teeth before he is 50. And that's with excellent care and ACC contribution. So mouthguards, here's the low down. No 1. WEAR ONE. Something is better than nothing and wear it always, not just at actual games. l'm dazzled that a practice or training session is somehow deemed not mouthguard worthy. are designed to have optimal fit, excellent retention, stability and comfort for an individual. There is no doubt they offer the best protection. Studies show they interfere the least with oral function and player performance. 2. Self-adapted mouthguards. Softened in hot water and moulded to the oral cavity they are unstable and irregular in material distribution. They offer poor prevention of orotacial injury. 3. Stock mouthguards. These ready made options are bulky, have no retention unless the mouth is closed so one cannot breath or speak. They offer virtually no protection at all. Apart from damage to teeth, the soft tissues and bony fractures there is one other very important consideration. A CMG will position the jaw to absorb impact forces that would otherwise be transmitted via the base of the skull to the brain. Concussion and more so repeated episodes of concussion can result in serious brain damage in the short and long terms as we all know. If you're playing a contact sport the cost of a properly designed and fabricated mouth guard may just be worthwhile in the interests of preserving your brain. There a 3 options. 1. Custom made Mouthguards (CMGS) In an ideal world everyone would have one of these. They are prepared by a dentist and while they are the most costly option they have considerable advantages above others. They Kind Regards, Ros. 9A Anzac Street I (Opposite New World) I Tel: 07 8275079 I www.cambridgedental.co.nz