What is a sports mouth guard and what is the importance?  A mouth guard is a piece of plastic placed in your mouth to protect your teeth from injury during athletic activity.  There are three different types of mouth guards; stock, boil and bite, and one that is made by your dentist. 

                        The first form of mouth guards, the stock guard, can be bought at most sports equipment stores, and can be worn right away.  This is the least comfortable because of the universal size and bite, and can cause very painful sores in the mouth and does not always offer the best protection on an individual basis.  These are normally not recommended for individuals with braces. 

            The second and slightly better option is the “Boil and Bite” mouth guards.  These offer a slightly better fit, because you mold the guard to your specific bite, but it is not always an exact fit.  The length of the guard may still be too large for some mouths, and can be uncomfortable if you do not bite hard enough on initial placement.

            The third and best option for a sports mouth guard is one that is created at a dental laboratory and fitted to exactly your mouth.  This offers the most protection and comfort.  Your dentist will take an impression of your mouth and those are sent to lab, just for you.

            Mouth guards should last, and proper care should entail brushing the guard and it should be placed in a ventilated hard case so that air may go through and no bacteria can grow.