Athletic Mouthguards

An athletic mouth guard is made to help prevent trauma to your teeth while participating in sports. 

There are three types of athletic mouth guards:

• Stock mouth protectors- These mouth guards are preformed and ready to wear.  They can be bought at most sporting goods stores and are inexpensive.  However, they are bulky which makes breathing and talking difficult, little can be done to adjust the fit, and they provide little to no protection.
• Boil and Bite mouth protectors- These mouth guards can also be purchased at most sporting goods stores and may offer a better fit than the stock mouth protector.  They are made from a thermoplastic material that you place in hot water to soften, then placed in your mouth to shape around your teeth using your finger and tongue. 
• Custom Fitted mouth protectors- Are individually designed mouth guards made in our office or in a dental laboratory based on Dr. Dornin’s instructions.  An impression is made of the patient’s teeth and a mouth guard is then molded over the model using a special material.  A custom fitted mouth guard provides the most comfort and protection.

Typically, a mouth guard will cover the patient’s upper teeth only.  However, in certain circumstances (such as braces), Dr. Dornin will make a mouth guard for the lower teeth as well, if needed

.  Athletic mouth guards are recommended for children and adults participating in:

• football
• basketball
• soccer
• hockey
• lacrosse
• field hockey
• any contact sport

An effective athletic mouth guard should be comfortable, durable, easy to clean, and should not restrict your breathing or speech.