All protective constructions for teeth are divided in 3 major categories:

• stock;
• Mouth adapted or "boil and bite";
• custom-made.

Stock mouthguard

Manufactured in a pre-formed shape in three different sizes (small, medium and large). Therefore, such guards are not adjustable to the teeth as they should since each person has their own individual jaw structure.

Dentists agree that stock mouthguards are almost useless. They have several of disadvantages. The edges of the stock mouthguards are shorter, which is why bone structures fixing the tooth are not properly protected. If you make the mouthguard edges higher, they will put excessive pressure on the gums for some persons and not covering back teeth for the other . In both cases, these mouthguards will not be able to provide the necessary protection for the jaw.

Stock mouthguard doesn't take into account individual characteristics of the oral cavity. Therefore, they don't stay in place and athlete has to clench the teeth. As a result, there is discomfort and even gag reflex and it's difficult to talk and breathe which has a bad effect on the athlete's work efficiency what lowers the athletic performance and don't allow to reveal his full potential.

Moreover, in this situation athlete faces a psychological factor caused by the fact that they use poor-quality gear (bad gear is associated with weak athlete).

Stock mouthguards are also produced of low-quality materials. Therefore, they are being quickly worn out and require constant replacement.

The only advantage of such gear – they can be purchased at any sporting goods store at low prices. But can such an argument be a good reason to buy it?

Mouth adapted or "boil and bite" mouthguards

These mouthguards are being produced at home . In this case, the workpiece made of thermoplastic in a pre-formed shape is immersed into hot water, where it softens up. Then it is placed on the teeth where it becomes firm and acquires the final shape. This way makes it possible to get the right size and shape.

Compared to stock counterparts such mouthguards have a number of considerable advantages. But even they are unable to fit the mouth tightly and provide necessary protection. Since the thermoplastic material is not strong enough, it begins to loose its shape and collapse very soon.

Custom-made mouthguards

Custom-made sports mouthguards are made in dental laboratories using individual dental impressions. During the making process dentist supervises the correct interdigitation of the teeth and takes into account the individual characteristics of the jaws and the dentition. This is why custom-fitted mouthguards perfectly match the shape and size of the teeth, which ensures a perfect fit and effectively protects the teeth from injuries.

The making of protective mouthguards for the children also takes into account the child's age and the need to provide space for growing teeth.

Custom-made mouthguards cover not only the teeth but also the jaw bone and the gums, replicating the entire oral cavity contour, which is unique to each person.

Protective mouthguard optimally distributes the load from shocks which helps to prevent injuries. It resists when the lower jaw might be pushed up the upper one with extreme force. Therefore it helps to avoid jaw fractures, severe injuries, leading to loss of consciousness, the displacement of the mandibular joint, neck injury, intracerebral hemorrhage, concussions.

Custom-fitted mouthguards: advantages and disadvantages

Custom-made sport mouthguard made in dental clinic:

• perfectly adheres to the teeth;
• firmly fixed;
• comfortable to wear;
• combines flexibility and strength;
• makes it easy to breathe;
• does not violate the diction;
• does not cause allergic reactions;
• acts as a shock absorber;
• effectively protects teeth;
• Isolated soft oral tissues;
• prevents tearing of the lips and cheeks;
• reduces the risk of maxillofacial injuries;
• prevents the risk of teeth chipping and their loss;
• prevents teeth erasure when they are tightly closed.

The only drawback to the custom-made sport mouthguard is its high cost. But athletes never skimp on their gear and seek to buy only the best products.

Types of custom-made mouthguards

Depending on the purpose of use there are 4 types of custom-fitted mouthguards:

• light (single-layered) – designed for children and teenagers, as well as for the daily gym practices;

• semi-professional (double-layered) – used in non-contact sports (cycling, skiing, skateboarding, roller skates riding);

• professional (triple-layered, with a rigid tab in front section) – used in all kinds of sports, which have direct contact threat (boxing, kickboxing, taekwondo, sambo, rugby, hockey);

• premium (triple-layered, rigid layer is distributed over the entire area) – suitable for all contact sports, both with direct and indirect threat.

Another kind of protective gear is a sports mouthguard for braces. They allow people with braces not to give up on traumatic sports. Mouthguard tightly sticks to the brackets, protecting the teeth and soft tissues from any injury.

Who needs defensive gear?

Sports mouthguard are a must-haves for those who are engaged in the following sports: MMA, boxing, Taekwondo Wushu Sanda (Sanshou), combat sambo, men's lacrosse, roller derby, American football, ice hockey, women's hockey on grass.

They are recommended for other traumatic sports. Protective mouthguards are also useful for those who prefer an active lifestyle, enjoys rollerblading and ice skating and likes bodybuilding and powerlifting.

Custom-made mouthguards are especially necessary for children and teenagers who enjoy extreme and contact sports. The fact is that the childhood injuries pose a particular danger, as they might become the cause of various malfunctions during dental system formation period.

How to take care of the sports protective mouthguards?

To make the mouthguard last as long as possible, it is necessary to pay attention to its proper care

• Before and after the use the mouthguard should be washed with cool water;

• use toothpaste with a brush to clean your mouthguard;

• it is also possible to clean sport mouthguard with soluble tablets for cleaning dentures;

• the mouthguard should not be exposed to direct sun lights and heat, otherwise it will be deformed;

• keep the mouthpiece in a solid container with holes for air circulation.

The advantages of our clinic

Our dental clinic produces sports mouthguards on demand. We take into account the anatomical, physiological and functional structure of the teeth, which allows not only to protect the mouth from injuries, but also to improve athletic performance. While in tension , the chewing muscles tone the muscles of the whole body, which leads to better coordination .

In our clinic we make custom-made sport mouthguards with the help of impressions made of the best modern materials that optimally combine strength and flexibility, so that they don't get damaged and keep their protective properties for a long time.

To ensure an accurate fit, we use innovative technologies that include computer modeling.