Sports Mouth Guards

A sports mouth guard is a molded shield that spreads the force of a blow across several teeth. At Pearl32 Dentistry and Wellness in Laguna Hills, we make custom guards from a digital scan, so nothing is boiled and nothing is bitten into shape. A custom guard stays in place while you talk, breathe and run. It lowers the chance of broken front teeth and cut lips. It cannot prevent every injury, and it is not a night guard for grinding.

What is a custom sports mouth guard?

A guard built over a model of your own teeth. We take a digital intraoral scan, which takes about three minutes and uses no impression material. The guard is then formed in layers to a planned thickness. It covers the upper teeth in most cases, extends over the gum margin and is trimmed clear of the muscle attachments. Because it grips the teeth, you can speak and breathe with it in. Athletes who can talk with a guard in tend to keep it in, and a guard that stays in the mouth is the one that protects teeth.

Custom guard or boil and bite?

A boil and bite guard protects more than nothing and less than a custom guard. The drugstore version is softened in hot water and pressed into shape with the tongue and fingers. That process thins the material exactly where it is needed, over the front teeth. It also loosens with use, so players clench to hold it in place or take it out to speak. A custom guard keeps an even thickness where we planned it. If a season begins this week, use a boil and bite guard now and have a custom guard made after. A guard left in a bag protects nothing.

Which sports need a mouth guard?

Any sport where a ball, a stick, an elbow or the ground can reach your face. Basketball and soccer send plenty of players to dentists, because there is no helmet and no shortage of collisions. Football, hockey, lacrosse, rugby, boxing, martial arts, water polo, skateboarding and mountain biking all qualify. Wearing braces raises the stakes, because a lip driven onto brackets tears easily. Adults in recreational leagues are the group that skips guards most often and pays for it in broken front teeth. We can make a guard that fits over orthodontic appliances.

How thick should a guard be, and how should it fit?

About 3 to 4 millimeters over the front teeth for most sports. Thicker is not automatically better, because a guard you cannot breathe around gets left in the bag. We vary thickness by sport and by whether a helmet is worn. The guard should stay put when you tip your head and open slightly, with no need to bite to hold it. It should cover the teeth and the gum margin and clear the frenum attachments so the lip moves freely. We check that the back teeth meet evenly on the material. Adjustments at the fit appointment take a few minutes.

How do you care for it and when is it replaced?

Rinse it in cold water after every use, brush it with a toothbrush and no paste, then air dry it in a vented case. Heat is the enemy, and a car dashboard or hot water can warp the fit in one afternoon. Bring it to your check ups so we can inspect the edges and the bite. A growing child usually needs a new guard every year, because erupting teeth change the shape of the arch. Adults replace a guard when it splits, when it no longer grips, or when chewing has thinned the front. Two seasons is a common life for an adult guard.

What will a mouth guard not do?

It will not prevent every dental injury or every concussion. The evidence that guards reduce concussion risk is mixed, so we do not claim it. A guard does reduce broken and knocked out teeth, cut lips and some jaw fractures, which is reason enough to wear one. It does not protect the lower teeth unless we make a lower guard, which we do for certain sports. A sports guard is also not a night guard, because grinding needs a harder material and a different design. If a tooth is knocked out during a game, keep it in milk, call (949) 830-0074 and come in. We hold same day emergency slots every weekday.

What does a custom mouth guard cost?

We quote it in writing after an examination, itemized, before anything is made. The quote depends on the sport, the thickness and whether the guard has to fit over braces. We do not publish prices for treatment.

Many dental plans do not cover sports guards, though we check your plan for you. We are in network with most major PPO plans and Delta Dental HMO. For larger treatment plans, outside payment plans run through CareCredit, Cherry, Sunbit and Happen Bank (formerly LendingClub). Third party financing is available and the practice is not the creditor. Book a scan at 24022 Calle De La Plata, Suite 450, Laguna Hills, CA 92653, Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.

Questions people ask about sports Mouth Guards

How long does it take to get a custom guard?

The scan takes about three minutes at your appointment. The guard is usually ready in one to two weeks, and we bring you back to check the fit and the bite. If a season begins sooner than that, tell us at the scan and we will say honestly whether the timing works. Until it arrives, a drugstore guard is better than playing with nothing.

Can my child wear a guard with braces?

Yes, and it matters more with braces than without. A lip driven onto brackets tears, and a bracket can cut through. We design the guard with space for the appliance and for the tooth movement expected over the next few months. Guards worn over braces need checking more often, roughly every three to four months, because the teeth are moving underneath.

What colors are available?

A range of colors and combinations, including team colors and a clear option. Color is not only cosmetic. A bright guard is easier to find on a field after it has been spat out, and a clear one disappears in grass. We can add a name and a number to the guard as well, which cuts down on mix ups in a shared locker room.

Should I wear a guard on the lower teeth too?

Usually an upper guard is enough, because the upper front teeth take most blows. A lower guard is worth considering if you wear a lower fixed appliance, if you have had lower front tooth injuries, or in sports with regular upward contact such as boxing. We talk it through at the scan. A double guard is thicker, so breathing and speech are part of that decision.

Can a loose guard be adjusted instead of replaced?

Sometimes, and it depends on why it is loose. If the edges have worn or one area has relaxed, we can reline or trim it at the office. If your teeth have moved, if new teeth have erupted, or if the material has thinned over the front, a new scan and a new guard are the sensible route. Bring it to your next visit and we will check it.

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. What is right for you can only be decided after an examination.