Wearing a mouth guard is vital if you want to ensure that your teeth are protected while playing contact sports, and you can either buy one over-the-counter or have a custom one made by your dentist.
Custom mouth guards are much more expensive than over-the-counter ones, but they come with a number of benefits that make them more than worth the additional cost. Here are just a few reasons you should use one.
Custom made
As the name implies, custom fit mouth guards are made for your mouth alone. Your dentist will use thermoplastic material to take a mould of your teeth and then have a mouth guard created that fits it perfectly. This means that there should be no gaps between guard and teeth, meaning that you will enjoy vastly superior protection compared to an over-the-counter guard. The thickness can be adjusted depending on your precise needs, and your dentist can choose between different materials. You can also have mouth guards created for your lower teeth; most over-the-counter guards will only cover the upper set.
No slippage
The fact that custom mouth guards hug each tooth closely means that unwanted movement is practically eliminated. This is a very important concern when you're playing contact sports since running, manoeuvring, and taking hits can jostle a poorly-fitted mouth guard from its proper position.
This will obviously mean that your teeth aren't provided with the same protection, but that isn't the only issue. Movement can see the guard slip and become a choking hazard, especially since contact sports will often see players breathing very quickly and harshly through the mouth. Movement will also impact your playing ability since it can distract you at vital moments.
Longer lasting
It should go without saying that all mouth guards tend to be quite durable; after all, they are built to absorb force and guard against damage. However, over-the-counter guards almost always need to be replaced sooner than custom ones.
For starters, over-the-counter guards are usually thinner, so they can be more easily bitten through. More importantly, over-the-counter mouth guards tend to lose their shape a lot faster than custom ones.
You should still bring your mouth guard when you visit the dentist so they can make sure it is still performing as well as it should, but unless the alignment of your teeth changes, you should be able to keep using the same custom mouth guard for years to come.
