Make the "Smart Play" with Custom Sports Mouthguards

What are Sports Mouthguards and why are they important?

Sports (athletic) mouthguards are plastic dental appliances which can provide protection for both the mouth's soft tissues (lips, cheeks, gums, tongue) and hard tissues (teeth and jaw bones). Wearing a sports mouthguard can help prevent tooth fracture, tooth dislocation, and bone (jaw) fracture, and help reduce the risk of concussion. Any athlete involved in contact sports should always wear a mouthguard.

Direct blows to the mouth and teeth (created by baseballs, footballs, elbows, the ground, etc...) can be cushioned by the presence of a mouthguard. The resilience of a guard will absorb a portion of a forces, while the stiffness of a guard distributes forces over a greater surface area. Both of these actions can help to prevent damage to an athlete's teeth and jaw bones.

Any object striking a person's face has the potential to force the soft tissues of the mouth up against the teeth or between them, thus resulting in bruising or laceration. . The rounded contours of a mouthguard can help to protect lips, cheeks, and the tongue from injury.

Some studies have suggested that wearing a mouthguard can help to reduce the incidence or severity of concussions. Forces delivered to the jaw bones will be transmitted on to the skull bones that surround a person's brain, producing the potential for concussion. A mouthguard will help to absorb and disperse these forces, reducing the intensity and limiting the possibility of concussion.

There are three basic types of mouthguards: Stock Mouthpieces , "Boil and Bite" mouthguards, and Custom Guards.

Stock Mouthpieces are ready-to-use and are the cheapest guards available. They provide minimal protection and come in limited sizes. They do not always cover back teeth, and are hard to keep in place.

The “Boil & Bite” Mouthguard is self-customized and is made of a thermoplastic material that is heat activated for sizing. They provide limited to moderate protection. Many athletes complain of a bulky, uneven fit due to uneven dispersion of the plastic after boiling.

The Custom Mouthguard is fabricated by a dentist and made for the individual athlete. This type of guard provides the highest level of protection. The customized guard has an excellent fit and most athletes report that they are comfortable and unobtrusive, and easy to keep in place. These types of guards also produce less interference with breathing and speech than other guards. Although more expensive than other guards, this should be considered money well spent since the level of protection and comfort is greatly increased with this type of guard.