A good mouth guard can be the difference between well-protected teeth and a broken jaw. Mouth guard technology has improved so much over the years and they can be tailor-fit to any mouth. Choosing a proper mouth guard should be as important to you as choosing any other safety device and should be specific to the type of play you intend to engage in as some offer more protection than others.
There are three basic types of mouth guards:
- Stock mouth guards: you can find these in any sporting goods store, are inexpensive, and, as such, provide the least amount of protection.
- Boil and Bite mouth guards: also in sporting goods stores, a little more expensive, but can be fit to your teeth. Because of this, the protection is substantially greater.
- Custom-fit mouth guards: made at any dental office by using an impression to your teeth and making one only that can fit snugly to your mold. This is the best and most expensive type of guard you can buy.
No matter what guard you have, the brand you choose will have bearing on the quality of the protection. Here are a few.