The Future Is Now: What Does 2015 Hold For Mouthguards?
It’s almost the year 2015, but somehow we still don’t have flying cars, teleportation or 3D movies that don’t require glasses. Aren’t we supposed to be living in the future?
Well, in some ways we are. Take mouthguards for example: they have actually come a long way from the days of the old orange rubber brick your parents used to boil and bite into. How exactly are they advancing? Let’s see what 2015 holds for mouthguards:
1. Material Matters
As mouthguards continue to advance, the materials they are composed of continue to change as well. Gone are the days of boiling-and-biting a big chunk of rubber or using simple thermo-plastics like vinyl in pre-formed guards. The mouthguards of the future will be produced using layers of newly developed materials.
Made with state-of-the-art materials, mouthguards will protect the teeth from impact and absorb shock to the jaw with greatly improved absorption qualities. That means athletes are getting more protection from their mouthguards.
Mouthguards also use technology that locks the lower jaw in a slightly forward position, giving the athlete 17% gains in extremity strength with less stress on the temporomandibular joint. According to Kinesiology studies, this helps make the athlete’s body more relaxed for greater range of motion, flexibility and balance — meaning athletic performance is actually enhanced by a mouthguard.
2. Thinner, Lighter, Better
One of the biggest problems athletes face with mouthguards is comfort. The fact is, mouthguards may sometimes be uncomfortable, making it hard for players to breath, speak or concentrate clearly.
Fortunately, that trend has already become a thing of the past, as mouthguards are now thinner and lighter than ever before.
Comfort is key; mouthguards will continue to provide a more intimate fit with thinner materials, providing the comfort your players need. Those same new materials that make mouthguards tougher will also enable them to be thinner than any other guard, allowing athletes to breath, communicate and drink comfortably without removing their mouthguard.
3. Complete Customization
In the year 2015, everything will continue to be customized. From shoes to phones to news to just about any user experience (online or in real life), you are able to personalize nearly anything you come in contact with. So why should mouthguards be any different?
As the production of mouthguards continues to advance, the use of colors, names and graphics has also come a long way.
Now, your players’ mouthguards aren’t just designed to fit their exact mouth structures, but their personalities as well. From nickname and number, to team colors and logos, the options are endless. If your players want to look just like LeBron James, their mouthguard can make that happen!
4. Emphasizing Importance
In nearly every sports league across the United States — from pee wee football to high school lacrosse to junior hockey — mouthguards are becoming a mandatory piece of athletic equipment. And that’s only going to increase over the next 12 months.
Yet many athletes at all levels don’t know why they are required to wear them and some even choose to forgo a mouthguard entirely. And that’s a foolish and potentially dangerous choice that will change over the next year as coaches, athletic trainers, athletes and parents become more educated about the dangers of an oral injury.
While those players view mouthguards as an uncomfortable distraction, that’s only true for generic guards. It’s important to educate your players as to why both the American Dental Association and the Academy of Sports Dentistry recommend a professionally-made, properly-fitted custom mouthguard for all contact and collision sports.
Why wear mouthguards? Simple: they help to protect against lifelong damage to the mouth and face. A broken tooth is not like a broken bone and will not heal on its own. Not only does a mouthguard save your players from serious injury, but from high dental reconstruction bills throughout the future.
2015 will hold a lot of advancements for mouthguards. With advanced materials, a thinner and lighter design and complete personalization, the future of mouthguards is now and only looking brighter.
Have a safe and successful 2015!
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