Jim Yamaguchi also treats Kristi’s husband, two-time Olympian and retired pro hockey player Bret Hedican of the Carolina Hurricanes.
“Obviously my husband’s sport is notorious for having teeth knocked out, but he actually survived quite well,” said Kristi. Bret did sustain a cracked wisdom tooth and a broken jaw, but has all of his front teeth. “He always wore a mouthguard when he played hockey.”
The American Dental Association recommends athletes wear mouthguards for a wide range of sporting activities. It also recommends mouthguards even for activities you may not typically consider, such as acrobatics, discus throwing, and handball. Coast Dental and its associated SmileCare and Nevada Dental Associates offices offer FIERCE mouthguards in a variety of styles to help protect teeth, while ensuring athletes can still communicate effectively.
In addition to highlighting the importance of mouthguards, Kristi is passionate about the power of braces to correct orthodontic problems and enhance smiles. As a teen, she had oral surgery to remove four permanent teeth and then braces to fix her crooked and overlapping teeth.
“Once my braces came off, it was like – WOW! That looks so much nicer,” she recalled. Her new, gorgeous smile was in full effect as she went on to win figure skating’s highest honor at the 1992 Olympics in Albertville, France.
The international star is also passionate about helping more people smile. Her not-for-profit Always Dream Foundation helps underprivileged children and kids with disabilities. Earlier this year, the Foundation launched a pilot program in California schools aimed at improving early childhood literacy.
To read the article or acquire a copy of the magazine, call 800-32-SMILE or visit www.coastdental.com.
