Savannah dentist Angela Canfield, with Sandfly Family Dental, will donate custom-made mouth guards to the Bethesda Academy football team for its 2017 season, and the mouth guards will be made in the school colors of navy and gold.

Canfield will take impressions of the players’ teeth at Bethesda at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 27.

Custom-made mouth guards provide stability to the players’ jaws and cushion blows that can cause severe dental injuries such as broken teeth, fractured jaws, gum lacerations and injuries to their lips or tongue.

“Evidence shows that properly fitting mouth guards can reduce impacts that lead to concussions and other severe injuries,” Canfield said. “Anything I can do to protect local athletes from severe injuries is worth my time and expertise, and I’m happy to help.”

The full fitting, molding and examination of each player’s mouth guards usually cost $440. With 44 players on the Bethesda team, Canfield will be donating approximately $19,360 in mouth-protection gear to Bethesda Academy students.

The mouth guards have a one-year warranty that covers dental expenses incurred by players who are injured while wearing the mouth guards. The warranty also pays $1,093.75 per injured or replaced tooth and up to a maximum total liability of $35,000 per incident.

The American Dental Association estimates the use of mouth guards prevents approximately 200,000 injuries a year in high school and college football.

This marks the 3rd year Canfield has picked a local sports team to receive free mouth guards as part of the Canfield Mouth-Shield Program. Applications for the 2018 Canfield Mouth-Shield Team should be submitted to her office. Applications must be submitted by Friday, Sept. 1 to be considered.