Your sports equipment is not complete until you have your mouth guard fitted. With spring sports in full swing, Chapman Orthodontics recommends that his patients in Zionsville wear mouth guards. Mouth guards will cover your teeth and prevent dental injury while you are playing your various sports. Generally, mouth guards cover only your upper teeth only, but in some instances (such as if you wear braces or another fixed dental appliance on your lower jaw), Dr. Chapman will make a mouth guard for the lower teeth as well. Chapman Orthodontics is happy to advise its patients in Zionsville if both an upper and lower mouth guard is advisable.

There are different mouth guards available. The three types are stock mouth guards, boil and bite mouth guards and custom-fitted mouth guards. Chapman Orthodontics is always available to help his patients find the right guard for your needs. The most common mouth guard is the "boil and bite." These mouth guards are available at many sporting goods stores in Town area and provide a good protection if fitted properly. This type of mouth protector is made from thermoplastic material which is placed in hot water to soften it and then placed in the mouth and shaped around the teeth using finger and tongue pressure.

If you need a custom-fitted mouth guard, the team at Chapman Orthodontics is available to assist you. Dr. Chapman will make an impression of your teeth and then a mouth guard is molded over the model using a special material. Because the material is more costly, the custom-made mouth guard is more expensive than the other types, but it does provides the most comfort and protection.

Chapman Orthodontics also tells patients who grind their teeth that a mouth guard would be helpful to protect their teeth. This type of mouth guard is called a nocturnal bite plate or bite splint. So if you grind your teeth, let Dr. Chapman fit you with a mouth guard.

Before the games begin make sure to check in with Chapman Orthodontics in Zionsville. Keep those beautiful teeth safe!!