Written By Brian Lockhart

Playing hockey is an inherently dangerous sports so when suited up to get on the ice players are required to wear mouthguards to make sure they keep their smiles intact.

The mouthguards are a required piece of equipment for all minor hockey players.

The Shelburne Wolves U11 rep team are lucky enough to have been sponsored by Main Street Family Dental in Shelburne who turned out at the arena for a mouth guard clinic on Tuesday, November 23.

Each player had a mould made of their teeth which is then used to make a custom mouth piece at the dental office.

“Dr. Carriere from Main Street Family Dental is sponsoring mouth guards for the U11 Shelburne Wolves,” explained Sarina Nasato, a dental hygienist at the dental office.

Four people from the office turned out to help with the clinic.

The players from the team waited their turn to have the semi-hard mould inserted into their mouth that creates a perfect impression of their teeth.

“It's a flour and water mixture and we have disposable impression trays,” Ms. Nasato explained. “It turns into a sort of bubble gum material. It pushes up over the top teeth. You wait for about a minute and then it comes out.”

The mould is placed in a separate bag and will harden. From there the mould is taken back to the dental office where a vacuum system will secure the final mould material around the casting to make the final impression of a player's teeth.

When the mouth guard is inserted, it is a perfect custom fit for each player.

The guards help ensure players teeth are protected from all the jarring that can take place on the ice.

The Main Street Family Dental office can make custom mouth guards for any player.

“It's a flour and water mixture and we have disposable impression trays,” Ms. Nasato explained. “It turns into a sort of bubble gum material. It pushes up over the top teeth. You wait for about a minute and then it comes out.”

The mould is placed in a separate bag and will harden. From there the mould is taken back to the dental office where a vacuum system will secure the final mould material around the casting to make the final impression of a player's teeth.

When the mouth guard is inserted, it is a perfect custom fit for each player.

The guards help ensure players teeth are protected from all the jarring that can take place on the ice.

The Main Street Family Dental office can make custom mouth guards for any player.