A custom sports mouth guard offers players a perfect fit that lets them focus on playing sports, rather than having an uncomfortable piece of plastic in their mouth.

As COVID-19 restrictions loosen around the country and summer approaches, kids and adults are returning to America’s favorite pastimes: football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. With more Americans playing the sports they love, it is important that people continue to keep safety top of mind.

Sports account for around 36% of all unintentional injuries among children and teenagers. Injuries to teeth cannot heal in the way that a broken arm might – for this reason, it is critical that their dental health is taken seriously.

What are the benefits of using a custom sports mouthguard, and what makes them preferable to other options on the market? We explore the question in greater detail below.

What Options Are Available for a Sports Mouthguard?

A sports mouthguard is designed to protected a player’s teeth, gums, lips, and jaw. It can also redistribute shock when they are hit hard, preventing or reducing the effects of a concussion.

Provided that it remains in place, any sports mouthguard is preferable to nothing. Most sports teams require them. However, cheaper models can restrict the ability to speak or keep a mouthguard in place, making them less desirable for players.

There are three different types of mouthguards, ranging in effectiveness and expense.

• Stock Mouthguard: A stock mouthguard can be bought at little expense, but is the least effective model on the market. As it isn’t designed for your mouth specifically, stock mouthguards make it difficult to speak and can fall out easily.
• Boil and Bite Mouthguard: A boil and bite mouthguard is roughly shaped to the mouth after it is set in boiling water and fitted to the mouth of a player. It falls in between a stock mouthguard and a custom nightguard – while it is essentially shaped to fit a mouth, it isn’t perfect, and if instructions aren’t carefully followed, can result in discomfort and reduced protection.
• Custom Sports Mouthguard: A custom sports mouthguard provides the best results with minimal disruption to speech. As it is perfectly formed to the shape of your mouth, it causes minimal discomfort and maximum efficacy. However, most people think that the only option for getting a custom sports mouthguard is visiting a dentist, resulting in hefty fees.

Benefits of a Custom Sports Mouthguard:

Safety

When it comes to a mouthguard, one thing matters most: the safety of a player. Mouthguards need to be functional and in-place if a player is hit, shoved, or bumped – otherwise they put themselves at risk of injury.

A custom sports mouthguard won’t slip and slide in the mouth. It remains fixed throughout a game, and keeps players prepared for the unexpected.

Comfort

Team sports requires solid communication among each member of a team. A mouthguard that prohibits speaking not only makes you a less effective player, but makes you more likely to take out your mouthguard to speak with others and plan a strategy. If a player forgets to put their mouthguard back in before their next play, serious injury may follow.

A comfortable custom sports mouthguard doesn’t require you to remove it to communicate with others. It stays in place so players can keep their head in the game.

Durability

Low-quality mouthguards require more frequent replacements – while in the short term it may be less expensive, it can run up costs over time. Needless to say, the expense of a sports injury can eclipse the costs of even the most expensive sports mouthguard.

A custom sports mouthguard is made out of better materials. It lasts throughout the season with less wear and tear than other options.

Dental Lab Direct Offers Easy and Affordable Custom Sports Mouthguards

In terms of quality, the choice is obvious: custom mouthguards offer the best protection and highest degree of comfort. They also tend to be the most expensive. Thankfully, options exist to mitigate cost.

At Dental Lab Direct, we offer at-home fitting for custom sports mouthguards – no visit to the dentist is needed! Simply take an at-home impression of your teeth, send it to our labs, and within two to three weeks, you will have a custom mouthguard perfectly fitted for your teeth.

Looking to take your sports career to the next level of comfort and safety? Contact us today to learn more, or purchase a professional sports mouthguard now.