MetroWest Dentist Shows the Importance of Wearing Sports Guards

Playing sports without a mouthguard is like riding a bike without a helmet, according to .

"You don't have to get whacked and lose teeth," Chang said. "You can prevent concussions and really protect your teeth."

Getting hit in the mouth while playing sports can cause concussions, as well as various dental problems down the road, including causing teeth to turn gray or black and eventually becoming loose.

"A sportsguard can absorb the pressure," Chang said. "Teeth get cracked. It can act as a shock absorber and reduce the stress to the face or teeth."

Patch recently visited Dr. Chang's office to watch them make a custom sportsguard out of EVA (ethylenoinylacetate).

In the video above, Sandra Cavaco is the dental assistant who mixes molding to make the impression, while Richard Rainer is the dental technician who forms the molding for the sportsguard around the dried impression.

Justin Rainer, who will be a junior at Framingham State University next year, is the patient.