Last month in my role as team dentist, a few members of the FRFD team and I traveled out to Licking Valley High School to fabricate custom mouthguards for the LVHS Varsity Football team.  As their coaches and trainers know, mouthguards are a vital part of an athlete’s protective equipment – they protect not only the teeth, but also the cheeks, gums, tongue, and jaw. In a fast-moving contact sport such as football, wearing a properly fitted mouthguard is essential to protect against trauma like tooth and jaw fractures. Though any type of mouthguard is better than none at all, the mouthguards that offer the most support, retention, and protection are those that are custom-made for an athlete by their dentist. These mouthpieces are made from a model of the athlete’s own teeth and are more comfortable because they don’t slip around, allow an athlete to communicate better with their teammates, and offer more cushion than a traditional ‘boil-n-bite’ mouthpiece. If you or your child is interested in the ultimate protection for your mouth, give our office a call!