Children and adults who play sports need to protect their teeth. Now, professional-grade sports mouthguards are made on Bainbridge Island at the Sound Smiles Dental clinic.

"A lot of people think they only need a mouthguard if they play football or hockey. Yes, you need a mouthguard for that. But the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends it for so many more sports including baseball, acrobatics and gymnastics, volleyball and wrestling. You can read the entire list in this article ," said Dr. Eli Thornock, DDS.

A commercial mouthguard purchased at a sporting goods or department stores is better than nothing, he said, but they are also a one-size-fits-all approach. Sound Smiles Dental on Bainbridge Island makes custom mouthguards that provides the same level of protection college and professional athletes enjoy.

In an article discussing mouthguards, the ADA identifies three types of mouthguards:

- Ready made or stock
- Mouth-formed, boil-and-bite
- Custom

Custom is the best, the ADA says, because it conforms to the mouth and provides maximum protection to the teeth.

"We want you to have your teeth for as long as possible. We also know the kind of damage your teeth can suffer when playing sports. Because your well-being is our No. 1 priority, we decided to start providing custom mouthguards," Dr. Thornock said.

Getting a custom, professional mouthguard does require a visit to the clinic. Dr. Thornock said office must make a cast of the person's teeth and then create the mouthguard from the cast. He said the process does not take long and is not painful.

"If you are grown, the mouthguard should be good for a while. If it's fitted to a growing child, it will have to be replaced as the child grows," he said.

For more information about a custom mouthguard, visit http://soundsmilesdental.com or call (206) 842-4848.

Contact:
Eli Thornock, DDS
Phone: (206) 842-4848
Address: Bainbridge Island, WA
Email: [email protected]