With so many options for mouthguards on the market, you may find yourself wondering if a custom fitting from your dentist is really necessary.

Some store bought mouthguards even claim to be “fitted” via boiling to soften and self-forming into the mouth with each use. Surely a less expensive stock mouth protector from your pharmacy or sporting goods store will adequately protect your teeth from night grinding (bruxism) or injury during athletic activity, right? Wrong!

Custom Mouthguards in Guelph, Ontario

Here are three reasons to get your night guard or athletic mouthguards from the professionals at Stonegate Dental rather than off the shelf.

Comfort

Store bought mouth protectors, whether they are designed for teeth grinding or for use during sports, come preformed and are not shaped for your maximum comfort. The inside of every mouth is shaped and sized differently, and a stock mouthguard, even a boil-and-bite option, can result in pinching, abrasion to the gums, and slippage during sleep or upon impact. This makes the mouthguard less appealing to use regularly, and can put your dental health at risk over time. 

Protection

Custom fit mouthguards, without a doubt, offer the highest level of protection from dental injury, enamel loss from grinding, and even concussion from impact sports. As great care will be taken to ensure a flawless fit, your dentist-fitted mouthguard will not slip when you need it the most or be accidentally knocked out of the mouth. Custom mouthguards at Stonegate Dental are also made from superior materials, lasting longer and protecting teeth from impact evenly, without the ‘thin spots’ created by your individual bite with a boil-and-bite mouthguard.

Ease of Breathing

Custom fit night guards can actually help to reduce snoring and breathing difficulty during sleep, while protecting your teeth from damage from grinding. This is not the case with store-bought guards, even boil-and-bite mouthguards are known to obstruct breathing and cause sleep disruption and discomfort, or worsen snoring. For athletic use, obstruction of breathing from a stock or boil-and-bite mouthguard can be distracting, cause fatigue, and can make communication challenging - all of which of course affect your athletic performance. A dentist-fit mouthguard from Stonegate Dental will ensure you don’t sacrifice ease of breathing and speech for protection - our custom-fit night guards and sports guards have it all!

Contact Stonegate Dental today to discuss your mouthguard options for night grinding or sports. Experience the difference of a great fit and professional-grade material, you’ll never want to “put your guard down” again!