Custom Mouth Guards

Protecting Your Smile During Sports and Sleep

Mouth guards are essential for protecting your lips, teeth, gums, and jaw from injury. Whether you're actively involved in sports or suffer from nighttime teeth grinding or clenching, a mouth guard acts as a crucial barrier against damage. At MA Dental Care, we recommend custom-made mouth guards to ensure the highest level of protection and comfort.

The Importance of a Proper Fit

There are several types of mouth guards available, but not all provide the same level of safety or comfort:

• Boil and Bite Mouth Guards: Available at pharmacies and sports stores, these are molded at home by softening them in boiling water and biting into them. While affordable, they often fail to provide an ideal fit.
• Stock Mouth Guards: Pre-formed and widely available, these offer minimal protection and may interfere with breathing or swallowing due to their one-size-fits-all design.
• Custom Mouth Guards: Made specifically for your mouth using precise impressions, these provide maximum protection, comfort, and durability.



At MA Dental Care, we strongly advise against using store-bought guards and instead offer custom-fitted mouth guards made from durable thermoplastic.

Store-Bought vs. Custom-Fit: What’s the Difference?

Patients often ask whether store-bought guards are sufficient. Here's how they compare:

• Store-Bought Mouth Guards: Made from soft, thin plastic that wears out quickly, typically needing replacement every 90 days or after 40 uses. Poor fit can lead to discomfort or even greater risk of injury.
• Custom-Fit Mouth Guards: Crafted using dental impressions, these offer a snug, comfortable fit and superior protection. Made from long-lasting thermoplastic, they usually last 3–4 times longer than over-the-counter versions.



A properly fitted mouth guard not only feels better but also significantly reduces the risk of injury and long-term dental issues.

Sports Guards for Active Lifestyles

If you participate in contact sports or other physical activities, it is important to wear a properly fitted sports guard to protect your face, jaw, and teeth. Injuries can occur at any age, making prevention essential. We recommend sports guards for high-impact activities such as football, hockey, rugby, and basketball, as well as for sports like baseball, soccer, and cricket. Even recreational pursuits like skateboarding, cycling, or track and field can pose risks that warrant the use of a mouth guard. A quality sports guard should be comfortable and secure, allow for normal breathing, be odor-free, and provide full protection for your teeth and gums against potential trauma.

Night Guards for Bruxism Relief

Some patients experience symptoms such as headaches, jaw discomfort, tooth sensitivity, or cracked teeth due to undiagnosed bruxism, a condition involving the grinding or clenching of teeth, typically during sleep. Over time, bruxism can lead to enamel erosion, chipped teeth, and even tooth loss. Once identified, wearing a night guard can help prevent further damage and alleviate discomfort. There are several types of night guards available: custom night guards are professionally made using dental impressions to ensure a secure, personalized fit; boil-and-bite night guards are over-the-counter options that can be molded at home, but may lack optimal comfort and protection; and one-size-fits-all night guards, also store-bought, are not customized and are unsuitable for long-term use, offering only minimal relief for occasional grinding.