Sports guard is a device worn over your teeth that protects them from blows to the face. Mouthguards are an important piece of athletic equipment for anyone who is participating in any activity that might result in an injury to the mouth. Mouth guards typically cover the upper teeth and are designed to protect against broken teeth, cut lips and other injuries to your mouth.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF MOUTH GUARDS:

  • Mouth guards should be resilient, tear-resistant and comfortable. It should fit properly and not restrict your speech or breathing.  
  • There are 3 types of mouth guards.
  1. Stock mouthguard: These are pre-formed and inexpensive mouth guards.
  2. Boil and bite mouthguard: These come in a pre-formed shape. These are fabricated by placing the mouthguard form into boiling water to soften the material. The softened material is placed into the athlete's mouth, and adapted well for a customized fit.the athlete is asked to bite into the tray with constant pressure for 30 seconds. For best results, boil and bite mouth guards should be fabricated by a dentist according to the manufacturer's directions.
  3. Custom made mouthguards: Custom-made mouthguards are made professionally over a dental cast of the athlete's arch. They are considered superior to either stock or boil and bite mouth guards because of their superior adaptation and retention, custom-made mouthguards interfere least with breathing and speech. Because they fit and feel better, most of the athlete's prefer customized mouth guards. However, they are also the most expensive.

HOW LONG SHOULD MOUTH GUARDS LAST?

A mouthguard should ideally be replaced after each season because they can wear down over time, making them less effective.

Replacement is necessary for adolescent because their mouth continues to grow and teeth continue to develop into adulthood.