Dental Tribune U.S. Edition

Dental Tribune U.S. Edition | March 2012 A15 Ad Mouthguards aim for gold Keystone Industries has teamed up with the U.S. Water Polo Team as its of- ficial supplier of mouthguards. The team will wear the new Pro-form Patriot Mouthguards during its pursuit of gold in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Pro-form manufactures the only pre- made laminated mouthguard material in the industry. This material has long been considered the leader in custom- made mouthguards. By laminating two layers of soft EVA together, the laminate has excellent ten- sile strength. All of these features make the Pro-form mouthguard laminate the material of choice for custom-made mouthguards, according to Keystone In- dustries. Pro-form Mouthguards are designed and form fitted to an athlete’s mouth, making communication in the pool, on the field or on the court easier for every- one. Additionally, when generic, clunky mouthguards are worn, an athlete’s oxy- gen intake is restricted. The oxygen sup- ply can be reduced by as much as 25 per- cent, resulting in reduced performance. One big fan is Brittany Hayes, who won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing as a member of the U.S. women’s water polo team. “Getting my teeth knocked out was my biggest fear,” Hayes said. Hayes and Rick Merlo, who also won silver in Beijing as part of the men’s water polo team, both extol the virtues of the Pro-form Patriot Mouthguard by Keystone Industries. Hayes, who has beautiful teeth and a beaming smile, told Dental Tribune that an uncle who is a dentist had impressed on her from an early age the importance of protecting her mouth while playing a sport with so much physical contact. She said she likes the Patriot mouth- guard because it is easy to break in, is not extremely thick and, perhaps most important, it is easy to breathe through — which is obviously important for any physically demanding sport. And it’s not just water polo players who have benefited from mouthguards sup- plied by Keystone. The mouthguards are also popular with players in the National Football League, the National Hockey League and the National Basketball As- sociation as well as with many college football players. Each mouthguard is custom fit for the wearer. According to Keystone, the important physical characteristics of mouthguard materials are tensile strength, softness and uniform density. The Pro-form laminate maintains these characteristics best because of its lami- nating process, which combines heat and pressure. Strength is enhanced because of the laminate’s multiple layers. Features of the mouthguards include an anterior brace for extra protection, custom fitting for great oxygen intake, an easy-to-attach breakaway strap, a custom-made shock absorbing surface, excellent abrasion resistance and more. Pro-form mouthguards are designed to protect both professional and amateur athletes from orofacial injuries, tooth fracture and concussions. Recently, some new tie-dye designs have been added to the extensive line of Pro-form laminated mouthguards. They are all made using the same laminating procedure to insure the same Pro-form quality. They are also available in round. (Source: Keystone Industries and Dental Tribune Staff) Keystone Industries teams up with the U.S. Olympic Water Polo Team as official supplier The U.S. Olympic Water Polo Team will wear the new Patriot Mouth- guards during its quest for gold this summer in London. Photo/Provided by Keystone Industries. INduSTRy NEWS Hinman BOOTH nO. 1848