The Benefits of Custom Mouthguards for Athletes: Protecting Your Smile During Sports

Sports-related dental injuries are all too common. The most popular issues include things like chipped teeth, knocked out teeth, cuts to the tongue and cheek, and fractures to the tooth root.

With the help of a custom sports mouth guard, you can avoid these common problems and ensure that your favourite sport doesn’t contribute to a painful dental injury. While you can purchase a generic mouthguard from most sports shops, there are considerable benefits to choosing a custom fitted mouthguard.

In this guide, we’ll explore the benefits of a custom fitted mouthguard and the process of having one made. We’ll also look at some of the ways you can protect your teeth during sports.

Why choose a custom mouthguard?

With much cheaper options widely available, why choose a custom mouthguard? The main competitor to a custom mouthguard is a generic mouthguard that can be heated and shaped to your teeth to provide a better fit. While this might be better than nothing, there are downsides to an off-the-shelf mouthguard.

When forming the thermoplastic material, it’s possible that the wearer could bite down too hard, leading to thin sections of the plastic that provide little to no protection. Likewise, the wearer might not bite down hard enough, meaning that the mouthguard is more likely to fall out.

The solution to this is a mouthguard that is designed based on impressions and scans of the teeth. This will be a perfect fit, ensuring that it doesn’t fall out, even if you take a tumble. It will also have a uniform thickness throughout, so there will be no weak points in the protection.

How is a custom mouthguard made?

A custom mouthguard is made by your dentist. Or more accurately, it is designed by your dentist and made in a lab. Your dentist will start by taking impressions of your top and bottom teeth. They may also scan the inside of your mouth using a special wand.

These images and measurements are used to create your mouthguard. You’ll have a choice of colours so you can customise it to your needs and preferences. Perhaps you have team colours you’d like to follow? Or maybe you want something distinct so you know which mouthguard is yours?

Rather than heating and then cooling the mouthguard to your mouth shape, your mouthguard will fit perfectly from the first wear. If you have braces or orthodontics, we can also design a mouthguard that fits over your dental apparatus.

Benefits of a custom mouthguard

There are many benefits to choosing a mouthguard over no protection. It can give you the confidence to play sports more competitively, because you won’t feel as vulnerable if your teeth aren’t exposed.

These mouthguards not only provide protection during collisions, but they also help to protect your teeth if you fall over or hit your head. Blows to the head can cause your teeth to clamp down suddenly, which could lead you to crack your teeth, cut your tongue or bite your cheek. With a custom mouthguard, you’ll be protected from these potential risks.

A custom mouthguard is also much less likely to fall out or become a choking hazard. It will fit perfectly in your mouth, so you don’t have to worry about it coming loose while you are running. Custom mouthguards are often smaller than a generic mouthguard, so it’s less likely to obstruct your breathing.

What sports can benefit from custom mouthguards?

You should consider wearing a custom mouthguard for any sport, even if you don’t expect to get bumped or knocked. You should also wear a custom mouthguard if you have braces or any kind of dental restoration like a crown or a bridge. It will help to protect your restoration from being knocked out or cracked.

We generally recommend a mouthguard for football, basketball, rugby, boxing, field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, netball, volleyball and wrestling. You can also benefit from wearing a custom mouthguard during fitness activities like weightlifting, as it can prevent you from clenching your jaw and causing invisible damage to the tooth roots.

Get your custom mouthguard

Ready to step up your game and get a custom mouthguard? Get in touch with our team to book an appointment today!