WHAT IS MOUTH GUARDS?

Mouthguards are used as athletic equipment for athletes participating in extreme sports, involving body contact or flying equipment. This includes football, basketball, baseball, soccer, hockey, skateboarding, gymnastics, mountain biking – any activity that might cause an injury to the mouth. Mouthguards usually cover the upper teeth, and are designed to protect teeth from fractures, cuts on the lips and other damage to your mouth.

What Are the Types of Mouthguards?

No matter what type of mouthguard you choose, it should be durable, wear-resistant and comfortable. It must also fit well and not restrict your speech or breathing. The three types of mouth guards are:

• Custom mouthguard
  — Individually designed and made in your dental clinic or professional dental laboratory. The dentist makes a copy of your tooth model and molds the mouth guard to your tooth pattern.
  
  
• Mouth-Formed Protection or ‘Boil and bite’ mouthguard
  — This type of mouthguard comes pre-formed and can be altered by boiling the mouthguard in water, then biting the hot plastic to fit the pattern of your teeth. They can be purchased at sporting goods stores, and fit better than stock mouthguards. Follow the instructions carefully to make sure the mouthguard fits properly.
  
  
• Stock mouthguards
  — They’re cheap, preformed, and ready to go. Unfortunately, it always doesn’t stick to the teeth very well. Incorrect size will cause difficulty breathing and speaking.