Mouth Guards

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Mouth Guards for Children in Indianapolis and Fishers, IN

A mouth guard is a protective device or appliance for the mouth that covers your child’s teeth and gums to prevent and reduce injury to the teeth, gums, arches, and lips. Mouth guards are dental appliances that are recommended for a variety of oral health issues, the most common being if your child is experiencing TMJ/TMD or Bruxism (teeth grinding). Mouth guards are suggested if your child engages in sports or intense physical activity regularly.

Mouth guards are an effective method for the prevention of damage to their jaw, teeth, and overall oral health. If your child has common symptoms associated with TMJ/TMD or Bruxism, then using a mouth guard can be greatly beneficial. It can alleviate headaches, chronic jaw pain, and a general feeling of restlessness caused by disrupted sleep.

You want your child to stay healthy and active, which is why you might encourage your child to participate in sports. Without proper preventive care, dental injuries can sideline your child for the season or damage their mouth indefinitely. Oral lacerations, knocked-out or chipped teeth, and concussions are common in contact sports, which is why we recommend custom athletic mouth guards for children who participate in these extra-curricular activities.

Children’s Dental Center helps families set the stage for a life-long commitment to oral health in a friendly and approachable manner. Our team provides a pleasant visit to the dental office, promoting trust and confidence in young patients that lasts a lifetime. Call 317-932-7134 today to make an appointment with Children’s Dental Center. Our office is located at 9885 E. 116th Street, Suite 100, Fishers, IN 46037.

Preventing Injuries with Mouth Guards

Mouth guards work by simultaneously cushioning the face and bite while spreading and dissipating impact. In addition to protecting your child from dental injuries, research has also shown that mouth guards might protect your child from concussions, since they stabilize your child’s jaw, absorb impact, and limit head movement during a direct hit.

Mouth guards work by simultaneously cushioning the face and bite while spreading and dissipating impact. In addition to protecting your child from dental injuries, research has also shown that mouth guards might protect your child from concussions, since they stabilize your child’s jaw, absorb impact, and limit head movement during a direct hit.

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We are always ready to help protect your child's teeth!

The mission at Children's Dental Center is to build a dental home valuing prevention, early detection, and treatment of dental disease in children.

Types of Athletic Mouth Guards

Although many parents opt for mouth guards, few realize the importance of investing in a professionally made, custom mouth guard. Here are the different types of athletic mouth guards and why it is in your best interest to have your child fitted for a custom version as soon as possible at Children’s Dental Center.

  • Stock- “Stock” mouth guards are the cheapest variety of mouth guards, with some versions available for only a few dollars online. These mouth guards come pre-formed and ready to wear, but are not customizable, which means that they might not fit perfectly. Because stock mouth guards can be bulky, uncomfortable, and make breathing difficult, you may find that your child refuses to wear their guard like they should, which will put your child at risk for sports injuries.
  • Boil and bite- Boil and bite mouth protectors are essentially a stock mouth guard that allows you to customize the device slightly. After the protector is boiled in water, it softens so that your child can bite down on the guard and create a personalized impression of their teeth. Although these protectors offer a better fit than traditional stock protectors, they do not offer the same comfort and stability as custom varieties.
  • Custom-made- Custom mouth guards are created by Children’s Dental Center from impressions of your child’s teeth and mouth. These impressions allow a dental lab to create a protector that will fit the contours of your child’s arch and smile. Custom mouth guards can also be personalized based on your child’s sport of choice, with heavier-duty varieties available for full-contact sports and slimmer versions for other activities. Custom mouth guards are exceptionally comfortable and stable, allowing players the opportunity to focus on the game instead of worrying about their mouth guard being knocked out of place. Custom mouth guards have also shown to be more effective than stock or boil-and-bite varieties. In fact, one research study that followed 412 high school football players found that 8.3% of the group who used stock mouth guards suffered concussions, while only 3.6% of the players using custom mouth guards experienced them. We are pleased to be able to offer custom mouth guards to protect your child’s smile, and their dental health.

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Mouth Guards Your Child Will Love Wearing

Your child is more likely to wear a mouth guard that fits properly and that reflects their personal sense of style. For these reasons, Children’s Dental Center offers a wide array of mouth guard varieties. Options include performance enhancing mouth guards from Under Armour® and varieties that can be customized based on your child’s favorite colors or sports teams. No matter what your child decides to go with, Children’s Dental Center will inspect the fit and function of the finished guard to make sure that it will work perfectly. 

Make an Appointment for Your Child Today!

The mission at Children's Dental Center is to build a dental home valuing prevention, early detection, and treatment of dental disease in children. Our goal is to provide a pleasant visit to the dental office promoting the establishment of trust and confidence in children that lasts a lifetime. Our vision is to serve as the premier provider of patient focused dental care for infants, children and teens through compassion, skill, and teamwork.  Call 317-932-7134 today to make an appointment with Children’s Dental Center. Our office is located at 9885 E. 116th Street, Suite 100, Fishers, IN 46037. Let us keep your child healthy together. Contact us today to get your child the protection they need with a custom mouth guard. 

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Meet Dr. Edwards

MICHELLE H. EDWARDS, DDS, MSD

Indianapolis Pediatric Dentist Dr. Edwards helps families set the stage for a life-long commitment to oral health in a friendly and approachable manner. She provides a pleasant visit to the dental office, promoting trust and confidence in young patients that lasts a lifetime.