Custom Athletic Mouthguards

With many of our patients participating in contact sports such as football, basketball, hockey and lacrosse, we fabricate custom fitting athletic mouthguards to better protect our athletes.

All that we need is an upper and lower impression of your teeth. You choose the color and design of your mouthguard.

A custom, properly worn mouthguard can reduce the likelihood of fracturing or chipping teeth, neck and jaw injuries, cutting of the lips or cheeks, biting of the tongue and concussion.

We highly suggest a custom mouthpiece versus the old-fashioned “boil and bite” mouthpiece that athletes have used in the past.

Today’s custom mouthguards are a thinner version of previous models. They are designed to allow communication and be comfortable, thus increasing use.

Custom mouthguards are significantly thinner and significantly more comfortable than over-the-counter varieties. The reason is that they are made specifically for the user’s bite and mouth.

Custom mouthguards generally range from 0.08 inch to 0.15 inch in thickness. Because it is custom made in a lab, it is best not to wait until the last minute to order your protective device.

We are currently fitting our patients with PlaySafe Sports Mouthguards.

 

Additional Information About Mouth Guards:

When it comes to protecting something as important as your teeth, custom mouthguards provide a high degree of risk reduction at a very reasonable price. The cost of a custom mouthguard is far less than the cost of the reconstructive surgery that can accompany an unexpected blow to the mouth and jaw.

While contact sports and most impact sports require the use of a mouthguard, the protection offered by over-the-counter protective mouth pieces is minimal compared to the benefits of a custom mouthguard. No two mouths have the same imprint. Therefore, to be most effective, each mouthguard must be unique.

How is a Mouthguard Made?

A custom mouthguard is made in a laboratory from an imprint taken by a dentist. Dentists do not make mouthguards, although they recommend them for many uses of which several are non-sports related.

A custom mouthguard is made of a semi-soft piece of plastic that is measured, and cut to fit the precise imprint of your mouth as recorded by the dentist. A custom mouthguard is only as effective as the quality of the imprint. As mentioned, no two imprints or mouthguards are identical.

 

The Purpose of a Custom Mouthguard

The mouthguard is designed to absorb shock and to protect the upper and lower teeth by providing a barrier between them. Users can still bite down or move the jaw consciously.

The right mouthguards will absorb pressure and restrict the side-to-side and front-to-back movement of the jaw.