St. Paul Orthodontics Pro Recommends Checking Mouth Guards

Despite school being a few weeks away, many students who play football have begun or will soon begin practice. Having a mouth guard evaluated by a dentist or orthodontist to make sure it still fits properly is important for ensuring teeth are protect

St. Paul/MN (I-Newswire) August 16, 2012 - School football programs will gear up for practice soon, so before the referee calls a time out because a child had their bell rung, ensure that their mouth guard fits seamlessly, said St. Paul orthodontics pro, Dr. Trudy Bonvino.

"Football is a sport where a fitted mouth guard is essential," said Bonvino, one of Prior Lake's children orthodontists. They are capable of preventing:

• Chipped teeth
• Broken teeth
• Lip and cheek injuries
• Jaw fractures
• Joint injuries
• Concussions
• Tooth root damage
• Mouth lacerations, particularly for players who have braces

The American Dental Association assessed that a third of all dental injuries are sports related.

The Cosmopolitan Orthodontics office, an adult and pediatric orthodontics practice also offers removable treatment options including Invisalign Teen, advocates custom-fitting mouth guards.

"A mouth guard fitting properly makes the difference between losing your teeth or not," said Bonvino, Farmington orthodontist.

The commencement of practice season is a great time to check existing mouth guards for proper fit or possible replacement.

"If a child began or finished orthodontic treatment, or their jaws have grown, the mouth guard from last year may no longer fit as it should," said Shakopee orthodontics pro, Bonvino.

Still believe a mouth guard isn't necessary? Here are some startling statistics:

• Approximately one million children will visit the emergency room after suffering a jaw or face injury, according to a recent KABC-TV news story.
• Approximately five million teeth are knocked out due to sports-related injuries annually.
• A study of high school athletes uncovered that 75 percent of injuries happened while not wearing mouth guards. Nine percent of all high school athletes suffered some type of oral injury, while another three percent had a loss of consciousness. 56 percent of all concussions were suffered while not wearing mouth guards, according to ColgateProfessional.com.

Learn More
For more information about mouth guards and Dr. Trudy Bonvino, visit the Cosmopolitan Orthodontics website, www.cosmoortho.com. Cosmopolitan is located at 17757 Juniper Path in Lakeville, and 8310 C.R. 42 in Savage.

About Cosmopolitan Orthodontics
Cosmopolitan Orthodontics opened on June 4, 2009 in Lakeville, MN, followed by a Savage location a year later. The facility features the latest in orthodontic technology. It is designed to provide an outstanding experience for patients and parents.

Dr. Trudy Bonvino, the orthodontist on staff, is a Twin Cities native. She was drawn to a career in orthodontics because it combined her two greatest interests: art and science.