Sports Mouthguards

There are three types of sportguards: ready-made, boil-&-bite & custom. We want all our patients to be aware of the differences between types of sportsguards so they can make an informed decision.

This type of sportsguard is sometimes referred to as over-the-counter or stock because they are available at many drugstores or pharmacies. Ready-made guards are usually made from plastic or hard rubber in a U shape with a trough for the teeth to fit in & a lip that goes up above the gum line to protect the gums. While these sportsguards often come in a few basic sizes, that’s as customised a fit as you’re going to get. These are the most affordable but least comfortable type of sportsguards.

This type of sportsguard is also available at drugstores or pharmacies. Rather than being ready to go out of the package, the guard must be heated (usually in boiling water) until it becomes soft & pliable. While it is still soft but cooled down enough to handle, the athlete bites into the guard so it shapes around their teeth. While this does create a slightly better fit than the ready-made sportsguards, boil-&-bite guards do not count as custom-made. The plastic they are made from tends to be less durable than custom guards because it needs to be soft enough to bite into. This means it won’t last as long & can fall apart if the athlete has a tendency to chew on the mouthguard.