Custom-made Mouthguards:
Custom made mouthguards are supplied by your dentist. Custom mouthguards provide the dentist with the critical ability to address several important issues in the fitting of the mouthguard. Several questions must be answered before the custom mouthguard can be fabricated. These questions include those addressed at the preseason screening or dental examination. Is the mouthguard designed for the particular sport being played? Is the age of the athlete and the possibility of providing space for erupting teeth in mixed dentition (age 6-12) going to affect the mouthguard? Will the design of the mouthguard be appropriate for the level of competition being played? Does the patient have any history of previous dental injury or concussion, thus needing additional protection in any specific area? Is the athlete undergoing orthodontic treatment? Does the patient present with cavities and/or missing teeth? Is the athlete being helped by a dentist and/or athletic trainer or by a sporting good retailer not trained in medical/dental issues? These are important questions that the sporting good store retailer and the boil & bite mouthguard CANNOT begin to address.
The custom made mouthguards are designed by your dentist and are the most satisfactory of all types of mouth protectors. They fulfill all the criteria for adaptation, retention, comfort, and stability of material. They interfere the least with speaking and studies have shown that the custom made mouthguard has virtually no effect on breathing. There are two categories of custom mouthguards, the Vacuum Mouthguard and the Pressure Laminated Mouthguard
