Written many moons ago, so the prices are a lot higher, but the sentiment remains the same.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Wearing a high-quality mouthguard while playing sports is absolutely essential! Not only do they protect your precious teeth, but they may also play a role in reducing concussion risks. Many minor sports organizations require mouthguards for high-impact sports like hockey, rugby, and football. Prioritizing safety is key, and equipping our kids with the right protection helps them play confidently and enjoyably!
When I was a kid, you went to Canadian Tire, bought a mouthguard. You put it in boiling water, waited a few seconds, put it in your mouth. Hopefully it didn’t burn the roof off your mouth, and the mouthguard moulded somewhat to your mouth.
These days, that is not enough; we need a better-fitting mouthguard, so we go to our dentist to get one. When I first treated my daughter, it was $70, and I learned that my dental plan doesn’t cover it. But it’s worth it to keep her smile bright and healthy! I figured I wouldn’t have to do this very often, so a one-time cost was fine; however, I was mistaken. That mouthguard wore out; it was replaced, and then it was lost and replaced. After my daughter broke her capped tooth, we needed a new mouthguard. The new cap didn’t fit into the mouthguard correctly.
Case in Point
Our rugby club sent out a notice saying that a “service” was going to come and do mouthguards for $50. My wife and I decided this was something to investigate, so off my wife and daughter went to get a new mouthguard. What did they learn?
- The mouthguard is the same as the one dentists use; however, a dental hygienist sets it up (in fact, the hygienist does all the work, and the dentist simply has it done in their office).
- The new dental schedule has mouth guards costing $190 (again, not covered by dental plans), which may or may not be true (I can’t confirm that one).
- This is a cutthroat business, since this “service” was formerly 2 people; they dissolved their partnership, and the other partner called By-Law Enforcement for this “fitting” as well (just a side note).
So here we see free enterprise at work: Dentists attempting to make LOTS of money off a new product line, and entrepreneurs with some expertise (i.e. dental technicians) seeing the opportunity and thus undercutting the dentists.
I await the counter-salvo from the dental community stating that if you don’t get your form-fitted mouth guard from an accredited Dentist, you are putting your life (or worse, your kids’ lives) in danger!
