Types of Mouth Guards

Mouth guards are covers worn over your teeth. They help to protect teeth from injury during sports as well as teeth grinding. Generally, they are worn over your upper teeth only, but in some cases they can be made for the bottom teeth.

 

The three types of mouth guards include; Stock, boil and bite and custom fitted.

 

Stock mouth protectors – These come preformed and ready to wear out of the box. These are the most inexpensive of mouth guards as they are not fitted to your teeth. They can be bought at most department stores. You are unable to adjust the fit, and they make speaking a little difficult. They provide little protection, and should not be used for sports but can be used for over night grinding.

 

Boil and bite mouth protectors – These guards can usually be found at sporting good stores and offer a better fit than the stock protector. This mouth guard is made from a thermoplastic material which you place in hot water to soften. You then place it in the mouth and it shapes around your teeth while you use your fingers and tongue to get it in the grooves.

 

Custom-fitted mouth protectors – These are individually designed and made in the dentist office or a laboratory. An impression of your teeth is taken and a mouth guard is then molded over the model using a special type of material. The special material and extra time involved in the creation of this mouth guard, they are more expensive then the other types but you get more comfort and protection.