Mouthguard

	Email		Print
	Bookmark		Link

Mouthguard

A mouthguard (also known as a mouth protector, mouth piece or gumshield) is a protective device for the mouth

Mouth

The mouth, buccal cavity, or oral cavity is the first portion of the alimentary canal that receives food and begins digestion by mechanically breaking up the solid food particles into smaller pieces and mixing them with saliva....
that covers the teeth and gums to prevent and reduce injury to the teeth, arches, lip

Lip

Lips are a visible body part at the mouth of humans and many animals. Lips are soft, movable, and serve as the opening for food intake, as an erogenous organ used in kissing and other acts of intimacy, as a tactile sensory organ, and in the articulation of speech....
s and gum

Gingiva

The gingiva , or gums, consists of the mucosal tissue that lies over the alveolar bone....
s. Mouthguards are most often used to prevent injury in contact sports, as a treatment for bruxism

Bruxism

Bruxism is the grinding of the teeth, and is typically accompanied by the clenching of the jaw. It is an oral Parafunctional habit that occurs in most humans at some time in their lives....
or TMJ, or as part of certain dental procedures, such as tooth bleaching

Tooth bleaching

Dental bleaching, also known as tooth whitening, is a common procedure in dentistry but most especially in the field of cosmetic dentistry....
.

arly mouthguard was developed in 1890 by Woolf Krauze, a London dentist to protect boxers from lip cuts and lacerations.

Discussion

Ask a question about 'Mouthguard'

Start a new discussion about 'Mouthguard'

Answer questions from other users

Full Discussion Forum

Encyclopedia

A mouthguard (also known as a mouth protector, mouth piece or gumshield) is a protective device for the mouth

Mouth

Lip

Gingiva

The gingiva , or gums, consists of the mucosal tissue that lies over the alveolar bone....
s. Mouthguards are most often used to prevent injury in contact sports, as a treatment for bruxism

Bruxism

Tooth bleaching

Dental bleaching, also known as tooth whitening, is a common procedure in dentistry but most especially in the field of cosmetic dentistry....
.

History

An early mouthguard was developed in 1890 by Woolf Krauze, a London dentist to protect boxers from lip cuts and lacerations. The modern mouthguard design started from the work in the 1970s done by Dr. A. W. S. Wood, a Canadian pediatric dentist who was aiming to reduce and prevent harm injuries to children's teeth in hockey games.

Uses

Sports

Mouthguards are used in sports where deliberate or accidental impacts to the face and jaw may cause harm. Such impacts may occur in many sports including: boxing

Boxing

Boxing is a combat sport where two participants, generally of similar human weight, fight each other with their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee and is typically engaged in during a series of one to three-minute intervals called rounds....
, martial arts

Martial arts

Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat. While they may be studied for various reasons, martial arts share a single objective: to physically defeat other persons and to defend oneself or others from physical threat....
, rugby

Rugby football

Rugby football may refer to a number of sports through history descended from a common form of football developed in different areas of England....
, wrestling

Wrestling

Wrestling is part of the martial arts. A wrestling match consists of physical engagement between two people in which each wrestler strives to get an advantage over, or control of, the opponent....
, soccer, American football

American football

American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive team sport known for mixing strategy with physical play....
, Australian football, lacrosse

Lacrosse

Lacrosse is a team sport originated by several tribes of Native Americans in the United States. There are four distinct versions of the modern game: men's field lacrosse, women's field lacrosse, men's box lacrosse and intercrosse ....
, basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a basketball through a 10 feet high hoop under organized rules....
, figure skating

Figure skating

Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform figure skating spins, figure skating jumps, moves in the field and other intricate and challenging moves on ice....
and hockey

Hockey

Hockey is any of a family of sports in which two teams compete by trying to maneuver a ball, or a hard, round, rubber or heavy plastic disc called a Hockey puck, into the opponent's net or goal, using a hockey stick....
. Mouthguards may also prevent or reduce harm levels of concussion in the event of an injury to the jaw.

Many sports, schools or local state health laws make the use of protective mouthguards compulsory for participants.

Medical

Mouthguards may be used as splints

Splint (medicine)

A splint is a medical device for the immobilization of Limb s or of the vertebral column.It can be used:* By the Emergency Medical Services or by volunteer first responders, to immobilize a fractured limb before the transportation; it is then a temporary immobilization;...
to treat temporomandibular joint disorder

Temporomandibular joint disorder

Temporomandibular joint disorder , or TMJ syndrome, is an umbrella term covering Acute or chronic inflammation of the temporomandibular joint, which connects the mandible to the skull....
and bruxism

Bruxism

Acryl group

In organic chemistry, the acryloyl group is the functional group with structure Hydrogen2Carbon=CH?C?; it is the acyl group derived from acrylic acid....
mouthguard appliance is often used during tooth bleaching

Tooth bleaching

Dental bleaching, also known as tooth whitening, is a common procedure in dentistry but most especially in the field of cosmetic dentistry....
.

Types of mouthguards

Stock or ready made

Manufactured in a pre-formed shape in various sizes but with nearly no adjustment to fit the user's mouth The only adjustment possible is minor trimming with a knife or scissors. Inexpensive.

Mouth adapted or "boil and bite"

A thermo-plastic material manufactured in a pre-formed shape in various sizes that can be adapted to fit more closely to an individual's teeth and gums by heating and molding such as boiling then placing in the mouth. The latest may give a good/very good fit. Inexpensive.

Custom made

An impression of the users teeth is used by specialist manufacturers to create a best-fit mouth protector. Relatively expensive.