Why Century City, CA patients might need a mouthguard for contact sports

Competitive and recreational sports pose a high risk of traumatic dental injuries, such as broken teeth, severe cuts to the soft tissue, and dislocated jaw joints, to athletes of all ages. When properly fitted, a mouthguard can help decrease the prevalence and severity of orofacial trauma in several sports. Without proper mouth protection, the risk of facial injuries is significantly higher and often expensive and painful. The mouthguards available over the counter are not always effective and can be too large, too bulky, and poorly fitting, making it hard to breathe and talk and causing them to slip out on the field.

We offer custom-fit athletic mouthguards designed to fit the shape of your mouth at the dental clinic of Danielle Akry DDS. Our custom-made mouthguards are ideal for energy dispersion and tissue protection. Our general dentistry practice in Los Angeles employs state-of-the-art digital scanning and precise-fitting techniques to ensure the highest levels of impact absorption, retention, and comfort for athletes across all sports.

The Critical Role of Athletic Mouthguards in Preventing Orofacial Trauma

Contact, collision, and high-velocity sports carry a high risk of traumatic dental injuries if athletes are not wearing oral protection. Custom-fitted sports mouthguards provide a crucial protective barrier to help prevent direct impacts, violent jaw-to-jaw contact, and serious facial injuries during practices and competitions. Experts highlight that athletes without mouthguards are nearly twice as likely to sustain orofacial trauma as those wearing mouthguards.

Distributing Impact Energy to Prevent Severe Dental Fractures and Avulsions

A blow to the lower face can cause a rapid transfer of energy to the teeth and jawbone. This force is applied directly to individual front teeth without a mouthguard. This isolated pressure can cause enamel chipping, broken roots, displaced teeth, or knocked-out teeth. The high-density EVA materials absorb this force at once.

High-impact energy absorption is the ability of a material to absorb energy without permanent plastic deformation under stress, as measured by clinical testing. When you bite down on something, the material is compressed, distributing the impact energy throughout the top teeth. Distribute force across the whole area, so that no single tooth gets a hard blow.

A dental-grade guard significantly reduces the need for emergency dental care, root canals, or tooth replacement following a tough collision on the field. High-grade materials will absorb and cushion physical shocks before they reach the sensitive tooth roots.

A properly fitted sports guard will help avoid the following serious dental injuries:

• Fractures of the crown and chipped tooth enamel.
• Knocked-out permanent teeth (tooth avulsion)
• Fractured root and loose teeth (displacement)
• Fractures of the jawbone and other bones of the face

Safeguarding Oral Soft Tissues From Severe Laceration

Your lips, cheeks, and tongue may slam against sharp teeth when you take a hard blow to the face. Cuts, deep punctures, and severe bruising of unprotected soft tissues are painful and often necessitate emergency room stitching. An athletic mouthguard is a soft, rubbery material that protects the soft cheeks from hard teeth. The guard will protect your upper teeth from damaging the inside of your mouth upon impact, falls, or collisions because it covers the entire upper surface of your teeth. The guard will cover the entire upper set of teeth and round off sharp edges to prevent damage to the inside of your mouth during impact, falls, or collisions.

The labial flange of the mouthguard should cover the vestibular reflection by 2 mm and have rounded corners. A custom guard stretches out smoothly over the top of your gum line, providing you with a wide surface of protection. This long-lasting barrier cushion helps regulate pressure and prevent deep bruising on your lips. Well-fitting guards allow athletes to recover more quickly and reduce the number of tissue cuts, which means they don’t have to suffer from painful mouth sores that can affect training. Keeping your mouth closed during a game will also help prevent dirt and bacteria from the field from getting into your bloodstream through an open mouth.

Stabilizing the Jaw Joint and Reducing Jaw Fracture Risks

If you receive a hard blow to the lower jaw from below, then your bottom teeth are forced upward into the upper teeth. This abrupt impact jolts your jaw joints and the base of your skull. This violent impact may crack your jawbone, dislocate your joint, or result in chronic jaw pain. A sports mouthguard serves as a “bite cushion” and slightly separates the upper and lower teeth. The guidelines for biomechanical modelling require a minimum of 2 mm to 3 mm interocclusal space and complete occlusal coverage to avoid destructive bone distortion, condylar displacement, or damage to the articular disk under traumatic loading. This is an automatic space that prevents direct tooth-to-tooth contact, which helps reduce the shock transmitted up the jawbone to the joint.

When your bite is in its natural alignment, it protects your jaw joint from being hit by your teeth. The guard absorbs the upward and sideways forces to prevent your lower jaw from moving violently. High-contact sports athletes maintain better jaw position and reduce the risk of painful jaw fractures. The barrier also helps alleviate the pressure of clenching when you use a lot of force, preventing your jaw muscles from becoming strained and sore.

Comparative Analysis of Sports Mouthguard Types and Protection Levels

Selecting the appropriate mouthguard can make a difference in protection, performance, and compliance. Although over-the-counter mouthguards can be obtained quickly, professionally made custom mouthguards provide the best retention, optimal thickness, and physiological comfort needed for serious athletic competition, enabling the athlete to speak, breathe, and play without restriction or distraction during games. Athletic mouth protectors are classified into three regulatory categories, which define how they are made, how they fit, and how effective they are at protecting teeth.

Professionally Fabricated Custom-Fitted Mouthguards (Type III)

Type III custom-made mouthguards are the highest level of protection in sports, which are made from a patient’s impression or 3D intraoral digital scan in a dental office or laboratory. These Type III guards are made directly from a precise 3D digital scan or impression of your mouth to fit your exact teeth and gum line. Type III appliances should be fabricated using pressure-laminated thermoforming rather than simple vacuum forming to avoid stretching the material and ensure uniform labial density.

A custom guard will fit your bite, allowing it to snap securely onto your upper teeth. It is not necessary to bite down to hold the jaw in place. The secure fit allows you to play confidently, communicate with your teammates, and drink water without removing your guard.

Some advantages of the Type III custom sports mouthguard are:

• A precise fit that is comfortable on your teeth and gums
• The thickness of the protective material is 3 mm to 5 mm throughout
• Clear speech, easy swallowing, and free breathing
• Long-term durability, lasting through several seasons

Self-Adapting “Boil and Bite” Mouthguards (Type II)

Type II devices are mouth-formed, self-adapting thermoplastic appliances, which are softened in hot water and shaped intraorally with finger and biting pressure. Most sporting goods stores sell self-adapting mouthguards, also known as boil-and-bite guards. Boil-and-bite guards are not as good as stock guards and have significant structural flaws.

Intraoral molding of Type II guards has been shown in published clinical studies to cause up to a 70% reduction in the thickness of the thermoplastic EVA material over critical anterior incisal edges, reducing it below the clinical safety standard of 3mm. As you chew on the warm rubber, your teeth crush it. This biting pressure reduces the guard right over your front teeth and biting edges, which is the area that needs the most shock absorption.

Boil-and-bite guards are also loose-fitting. The guard needs to be fastened securely with tight teeth at all times. This constant clenching can cause jaw fatigue and breathing problems, and may lead to gagging during action.

Stock Ready-Made Mouthguards (Type I)

These U-shaped prefabricated devices are classified as Type I stock protectors and have generic central grooves without anatomical adaptation features. Stock mouthguards are mass-produced, pre-shaped guards available in standard sizes. Experts recommend against using Type I stock mouthguards because they have poor retention and are not well designed to disperse forces.

To prevent a stock guard from moving while worn, bite down hard on it for the entire time it is in use. It is difficult to breathe or speak clearly when you clench your teeth while playing. The size and looseness are not comfortable and distracting, causing many athletes to pull the guard off during games. Stock guards also use inexpensive materials that provide little protection for the lips and cheeks and little shock absorption.

Specialized Sports Mouthguard Considerations for Specific Athletic Needs

The mouthguards used in various sports activities and the types of dental problems require different characteristics. From fixed orthodontic appliances to high-action collision sports, customized engineering ensures optimal safety without jeopardizing oral health, continuity of dental treatment, or physical comfort during intense training sessions and athletic events.

Custom Orthodontic Mouthguards for Athletes with Braces

Athletes who wear braces are at additional risk on the field. If your mouth is struck by metal brackets, sharp hooks, or wires, they may cut your inner lips and cheeks. Mouthguards for orthodontic patients should not be bonded to appliances or interfere with the planned movement of the teeth. Do not put a regular boil-and-bite guard on braces. The heat from the plastic can cause it to melt, which can hold your guard in place on your teeth or dislodge wires.

Custom orthodontic mouthguards are designed to fit safely over braces. Small channels are created inside the guard by dental technicians to cover brackets and wires without sticking to them. This custom shape protects the sides of your face, cheeks, and lips from sharp metal while letting your teeth move normally as your orthodontic treatment continues.

Athletes wearing braces will need essential benefits such as:

• Channels that fit over brackets and wires without any gaps
• Fitted channels that go over brackets and wires without any gaps
• Full protection from cuts on the inside of the mouth, cheek, and lip
• Easy tooth movement for orthodontic treatment planning
• Excellent protection from broken brackets and bent archwires

High Impact and Multi-Laminated Designs for Collision Sports

Boxing, martial arts, rugby, ice hockey, and football are examples of heavy contact sports that involve repeated blows to the body. Single-layer mouthguards are frequently not thick enough to withstand powerful blows to the mouth from fists, elbows, or hard objects.

The multi-laminated custom guard is a multi-layered custom mouthguard made of several layers of hard-wearing EVA material to resist high-impact or extreme-contact sports. The rigid outer shell is made of styrene-butadiene copolymer, and the soft inner layer is ethylene-vinyl acetate, which distributes the energy of impact and helps absorb shock waves before they reach the anterior maxilla. The multi-layer design ensures maximum impact safety without being too bulky in your mouth.

Low-Profile Custom Mouthguards for High-Ventilation Sports

Basketball, soccer, lacrosse, and volleyball are endurance sports that require running, rapid breathing, and talking. In these sports, heavy or thick mouthguards interfere with your ability to perform the sport, reduce airflow through your mouth, and may make it difficult to call plays.

Low-profile custom guards are made from dense, thin EVA sheets that protect your teeth in a low-profile design. Studies of airflow in the mouth conducted in the clinic by the Academy for Sports Dentistry have shown that a custom guard 2 mm short of the palatal gingival margin maintains natural oral airflow max while preserving protective labial thickness. These guards are only 2mm to 3mm thick, which protects the front teeth without adding to the bulk in your mouth. The thin fit will ensure that you can breathe normally during difficult runs. You will be able to communicate clearly with teammates and drink water without taking off your guard while playing the game.

The Custom Fabrication Process

A custom athletic mouthguard is a precise clinical process that is used to create a perfect fit and maximum comfort. Advanced techniques at Danielle Akry DDS ensure that each sports guard provides optimal shock absorption for the sport, oral structure, and personal protective preferences for complete protection.

Detailed Clinical Assessment and Dental Scans/Impressions

Your custom mouthguard process starts with a quick oral check. The dentist checks the teeth, old dental work, bite alignment, and gums for any special needs. For high-contact collision sports and/or braces, those facts will be fed into your guard’s design.

Then we take accurate measurements using a 3D digital intraoral scanner or soft impression material. According to the current digital workflow in ACP, the high-definition optical models of the maxillary arch are captured by digital intraoral scanning. It has a centric occlusion registration around a 5 mm anterior vertical opening. The digital scanners take thousands of detailed images in just a few seconds, creating a precise 3D model of your teeth and gum line. This thorough scan provides precise details about your teeth, bite alignment, and gum depth, all without messy impression putty, giving us a solid base to create your guard.

Precision Laboratory Thermoforming and Multi-Layer Lamination

After your digital scan, our lab uses your 3D model to fabricate your guard. High-pressure forming machines are used in the lab to form the medical-grade EVA over the dental model.

The high-pressure equipment forces the heated EVA material into all the tooth grooves and spaces. Pressure-lamination thermoforming uses positive air pressure of 4-6 bar, produces no air voids between the laminated EVA layers, and ensures uniform material thickness across incisal edges. This pressure ensures a perfect fit and maintains a consistent material thickness across each surface. Multi-layered contact guards are bonded layer by layer under precise temperature control, resulting in a tough, tear-resistant guard that withstands hard impacts.

Intraoral Fitting, Occlusal Alignment, and Personalization

When your guard is ready, you return for a quick fitting. The dentist ensures that the guard fits snugly, has smooth edges, and covers your gum line. Sides are smooth to prevent rubbing or irritation to the cheeks.

The dentist will then examine the bite alignment to ensure that your lower teeth are aligned with the surface of the guard. Clinically, it is best practice to establish simultaneous, balanced occlusal contact with opposing mandibular teeth to prevent guard displacement during impact. A balanced bite distributes biting forces evenly and prevents the jaw from moving during impact. You can also add your team colors, jersey number, or your own graphics to give your guard a clean, personal look.

Care, Maintenance, and Replacement Guidelines for Sports Mouthguards

Daily care and storage will maintain the integrity and cleanliness of a mouth guard. Knowing how to take care of your guard helps prevent the development of bacteria, odor, warping, and material breakdown. It keeps you physically protected for the rest of your athletic career and beyond.

Essential Daily Cleaning and Sanitization Practices

Maintaining a clean mouthguard is essential to oral health. Saliva, oral bacteria, and field dirt adhere to your guard when you are very active. This buildup produces foul odors, bacterial growth, and gum irritation if not properly cleaned.

Athletic mouthguards are to be rinsed with cool water after each use and washed with mild liquid soap using a soft-bristled toothbrush, according to the ADA Seal of Acceptance maintenance guidelines. Rinse the guard with cold water just before inserting and just after removing. Use a gentle toothbrush and non-abrasive cleaner or mild soap to clean it. Do not use hot water, boiling water, or harsh chemicals. When the thermoplastic material is heated, it becomes permanently distorted from its custom fit.

Some of the most important care practices are:

• Rinse off with cool water before and after use
• Gently brush with a soft toothbrush and soap
• Keep in a substantial plastic case with good ventilation
• Avoid hot water, direct sunlight, or hot cars

Proper Storage and Regular Inspection for Wear

Store the mouthguard in a hard plastic case with air vents when not in use. Air holes allow the guard to dry thoroughly, so that moisture does not accumulate and create conditions for bacteria and mold. Keep your case at room temperature out of direct sunlight, hot heaters, or hot car dashboards, as excessive heat can cause the plastic shape to warp.

Check your mouthguard regularly for signs of wear and damage. Check biting surfaces for thinness, holes, or cracks from hard impacts or clenching. Make sure that the outer edges are smooth and free of sharp tears. The FDI World Dental Federation recommends bringing your mouthguard to your semiannual dental exam to check its structural integrity and fit.

Recognizing When to Replace an Athletic Mouthguard

There is no such thing as a lifetime mouthguard. Over time, the shock-absorbing material will deteriorate from physical damage, chewing, and regular use, reducing its protective effect. When you change your guard at the right moment, you are sure to protect your teeth from severe injury.

Pediatric and adolescent athletes should have their custom mouthguards replaced at least once per sports season (every 6 to 12 months) due to the growth of their active jaws, the shedding of mixed dentition, and the eruption of permanent teeth. A guard’s fit changes as the child grows because their jaws grow quickly and they lose their primary teeth and replace them with permanent ones.

A guard that is too tight or too loose can obstruct tooth movement or jaw growth. With good care, a high-quality custom guard will last 2 to 3 years for adults with stable teeth.

Consult an Experienced General Dentist Near Me

Sport should promote health and develop confidence, not cause avoidable dental emergencies. A custom-fitted sports mouthguard offers the greatest protection against chipped teeth, soft-tissue lacerations, and severe jaw trauma. Athletic mouthguards should be professionally designed to provide maximum comfort, impact absorption, and breathing during high-intensity athletic activity. Whether you or your child plays contact sports such as football or martial arts, or non-contact sports such as gymnastics or basketball, protecting your smile is important.

At the dental clinic of Danielle Akry DDS, we are committed to keeping your smile healthy in the long term by providing you with state-of-the-art protection you can get, which is customized to your needs. Call our dental office at (310) 286-3111 to schedule an appointment for a personalized sports mouthguard in Los Angeles.