Mouth/Teeth Guards?

[David]

I broke both my front teeth last week in a hard crash at A-Basin. I used to wear my old football guard when I was skiing bumps but it's hard to converse with people especially while wearing a face mask. Does anyone here use them on a regular basis? If so what kind and are there any that will allow a normal conversation?

 

[EricG]

what about a helmet with wire chin guard on it?

 

[David]

what about a helmet with wire chin guard on it?

That wouldn't have helped my teeth with my last fall. I hit with the top of my helmet and it was my bottom teeth that broke my top teeth.

 

[Magi]

what about a helmet with wire chin guard on it?

Do you want to protect your teeth, or protect your neck from having the guard catch and do terrible things to your upper spine?

From conversations about helmet safety/selection with my local FIS coach - that's why racers don't wear chin guards/full face helmets when they aren't skiing slalom. In most situations - the risk of a chin guard dramatically outweighs the rewards.

 

[dave g]

I'm an oral surgeon and I always wear a mouth guard skiing, as do my kids. Custom made from impressions of your top jaw(teeth). If made by a dentist from impressions you will have no difficulty talking. The mouth guard not only protects your teeth, but your lips and tongue from lacerations as well as reducing the risk of concussions-slightly. I see way too many cases of oral trauma from skiing and any sports in general where people don't use mouth guards. Far cheaper than the many thousands you will spend to fix the problems. Dave

 

[EricG]

That wouldn't have helped my teeth with my last fall. I hit with the top of my helmet and it was my bottom teeth that broke my top teeth.

Damn. that's crazy, what exactly happened?

It sounds like from dave g getting a mouth piece made might be the ticket.

 

[AlpsSkidad]

I use one of these...
https://sentinelmouthguards.com/product-category/athletic-mouth-guards/
you do the impression at home, send it back via post paid envelope and the guard shows up in the mail. I screwed up the impression the first time, they mailed me a new kit free of charge.

 

[David]

I'm an oral surgeon and I always wear a mouth guard skiing, as do my kids. Custom made from impressions of your top jaw(teeth). If made by a dentist from impressions you will have no difficulty talking. The mouth guard not only protects your teeth, but your lips and tongue from lacerations as well as reducing the risk of concussions-slightly. I see way too many cases of oral trauma from skiing and any sports in general where people don't use mouth guards. Far cheaper than the many thousands you will spend to fix the problems. Dave

I asked my dentist when I was there what they recommended and they only offer a really hard sleep guard. It's also about the same size as my old football guard.

 

[David]

I use one of these...
https://sentinelmouthguards.com/product-category/athletic-mouth-guards/
you do the impression at home, send it back via post paid envelope and the guard shows up in the mail. I screwed up the impression the first time, they mailed me a new kit free of charge.

Thanks for the idea. I was also looking at one by SISU that's supposed to be really thin also.

 

[HardDaysNight]

The race place has mouth guards for $10. It’s molded at home by heating it in boiling water and then biting on it. Very simple. I wear it whenever I’m skiing and pop it out on the lift which is when I might be talking although it’s not difficult to talk with it in.

 

[David]

The race place has mouth guards for $10. It’s molded at home by heating it in boiling water and then biting on it. Very simple. I wear it whenever I’m skiing and pop it out on the lift which is when I might be talking although it’s not difficult to talk with it in.

That's what I've done in the past but I can't take it out with a mask on. Hoping for one I can talk with leaving it in.

 

[Talisman]

Having played ice hockey had a broken jaw, nose and had teeth knocked out wearing a mouth guard in the era before full face hockey helmets, the mouth guard doesn't do a whole lot to protect against a blow to the lower face. If you want protection for your pie hole, consider a full face helmet and there are plenty of light weight snow mobile helmets with breath diverters so fogging isn't an issue.

 

[scott43]

Having played ice hockey had a broken jaw, nose and had teeth knocked out wearing a mouth guard in the era before full face hockey helmets, the mouth guard doesn't do a whole lot to protect against a blow to the lower face. If you want protection for your pie hole, consider a full face helmet and there are plenty of light weight snow mobile helmets with breath diverters so fogging isn't an issue.

I tried one in hockey and hated it. Most guys I see who "wear" one are chewing on it anyway... All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth..

 

[David]

Having played ice hockey had a broken jaw, nose and had teeth knocked out wearing a mouth guard in the era before full face hockey helmets, the mouth guard doesn't do a whole lot to protect against a blow to the lower face. If you want protection for your pie hole, consider a full face helmet and there are plenty of light weight snow mobile helmets with breath diverters so fogging isn't an issue.

My bottom teeth hit my top teeth with enough force to break them so that's what I'm trying to prevent again. A knee to the chin can do it as well. I'm not looking for a full face helmet just a mouth guard that wouldn't be obvious.

 

[raytseng]

along those lines, a custom night guard would be the middle ground that offers some protection, as they intend to protect from grinding, but not so bulky that it prevents you from speaking (and probably cant take a full hit]
google and you'll get many hits.
Online services for about $100 to $200 have options for uppers or lowers and sometimes have different densities for you to eval the tradeoffs of protection vs encumbrance.
The more custom you pay, the closer of a fit it will be and least noticeable and least likely to interfere with speaking. This is in comparison to the semicustom $30 diy units you'd get from the drugstore and selfmold and trim to fit at home.

 

[David]

along those lines, a custom night guard would be the middle ground that offers some protection, as they intend to protect from grinding, but not so bulky that it prevents you from speaking (and probably cant take a full hit]
google and you'll get many hits.
Online services for about $100 to $200 have options for uppers or lowers and sometimes have different densities for you to eval the tradeoffs of protection vs encumbrance.
The more custom you pay, the closer of a fit it will be and least noticeable and least likely to interfere with speaking. This is in comparison to the semicustom $30 diy units you'd get from the drugstore and selfmold and trim to fit at home.

I've been looking at everything I can find. The custom grinding ones I've seen and my dentist can make are not that thin and pretty hard. The SISU is the thinnest I've found.

 

[raytseng]

I've been looking at everything I can find. The custom grinding ones I've seen and my dentist can make are not that thin and pretty hard. The SISU is the thinnest I've found.

so something like this is not what you were looking for (random first hit)?
https://encoreguards.com/collections/our-collection-of-guards-packages/products/standard-night-guard

 

[Jilly]

I know my friend's son has to wear one for slopestyle. I have a night guard and was sort of wondering about it for skiing. Bump season coming up here.

 

[David]

so something like this is not what you were looking for (random first hit)?
https://encoreguards.com/collections/our-collection-of-guards-packages/products/standard-night-guard

If I can speak clearly with it in and it can protect / absorb a hit then absolutely!

 

[David]

If I can speak clearly with it in and it can protect / absorb a hit then absolutely!

I just reread the site and it says a hard outer layer and soft inner. That probably wouldn't protect the bottom teeth with that hard layer.