Rugby

Custom Mouthguards for Rugby

Orofacial injuries include dental injuries, intra-oral and circumoral lacerations, and fractures of the jaws. The use of mouthguards in contact sports effectively reduces many such injuries,’ but especially dental injuries which are reduced by over 90 per a fitting mouthguard can be constructed for every participant, even those who are wholly edentulous and those with mandibular prognathism. It is essential to encourage early use of mouthguards by children as this will help them to become accustomed to wearing them at an old age besides providing the protection needed.

Custom-type mouthguards are an instrumental means of reducing orofacial injuries in contact sports and other sports where such damage can occur. This type of mouthguard provides much more protection compared with the different types available and also has the most significant acceptance rate.

There is much evidence to suggest that the wearing of mouthguards should be compulsory in a contact sport instead of leaving the choice to the individual. Since 1973 it has been mandatory for all high school and college Gridiron football players in the United States to wear mouthguards, and although there is no ruling at the professional level of the sport, most professional players wear mouthguards because they are accustomed to wearing them. At junior rugby levels in NSW, wearing mouthguards is also compulsory.

Whether the wearing of mouthguards in contact sports such as rugby should be compulsory is a matter for the authorities, but at present, there is no the national rule for any of the football codes in the world. Also in other ways, mouthguards have been prescribed for other diagnosis such as sleep apnea.