Sports Guards and Custom Mouthguards Collingwood

Here are the three main types of Mouthguards:

– Custom-Made Mouthguards

Custom Mouthguards are available through our dentists at Collingwood Family Dental. Our professional team will take a custom impression of your mouth and send it to a dental lab. The dental lab will then be able to make a customized Mouthguard that fits perfectly with your upper teeth and jaw (and lower if required). 

A Custom-Made Mouthguard will not fall down or move while you participate in sports or physical activities and will remain in place if a sudden impact is experienced, fulfilling its job of helping to protect your mouth, teeth, and jaws. Furthermore, you have the ability to speak and talk clearly as the Custom Mouthguard will not move or slide around inside of your mouth.

– Boil and Bite Mouthguards

Many sporting goods stores will carry ‘Boil-and-bite’ Mouthguards that claim to offer a ‘Customized’ fit. You can shape the thermoplastic material at home by holding the Mouthguard in boiling water and then biting into it to help form a ‘custom’ fit for your teeth. 

The issue with Boil-and-Bite Mouthguards is that the fit will not stay ‘customized’ for very long. Poor fits, changes in temperature, and the natural tendencies of the materials used will quickly change the Mouthguard’s fit. When the fit of the Mouthguard changes, it will no longer stay in place when you open your mouth to breathe or speak. If your Mouthguard is not in place when you experience a high-impact event, it will not be able to fulfill its purpose of protecting your teeth, mouth, and jaw from being damaged.

– Stock Mouthguards

Stock Mouthguards are readily available online and at your local sporting goods stores for a relatively inexpensive price. However, you should be aware that these Mouthguards do not offer any customization at all and will not stay in place when you open your mouth or move your jaw. 

If a Mouthguard cannot stay in place while the mouth is open, it is ineffective and will not be able to do its job of protecting your mouth, teeth, and jaw. Needless to say, stock Mouthguards are not the best option for protection when it comes to physical sports and other activities.

Here are a few reasons why you should consider a Custom Made Mouthguard:

– Helps to prevent Injuries such as:

• Cuts and bruises
• Cracked or broken teeth
• Injuries to your gums or other soft tissues
• Concussions 
• Pressure on the jaw can help avoid fractures or dislocation
• Damage to teeth
• Damage to oral appliances and orthodontic gear

– Breathing

Allows you to Breathe properly during high-intensity activity

– Speech

Speak normally and communicate with teammates/peers effectively

– Choking

Less chance of choking as Custom Mouthguards are less likely to move around during activity

– Comfort

Overall, much more comfortable than Boil-and-bite or Stock Mouthguards

Custom Made Mouthguards can be purchased from our dental clinic in Collingwood as we offer this service to our patients who are involved in potentially dangerous physical activities such as hockey, soccer, football, lacrosse, rugby, basketball, baseball, skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, gymnastics, boxing, martial arts, and more. 

Other Mouthguard options such as Boil-and-bite or Stock Mouthguards can be purchased online or from a local Collingwood sporting goods store. However, our team will always recommend a Custom-Made Mouthguard from a dentist as it will have a much higher success rate of protecting your teeth, mouth, and jaw during impact.

Here is the simple process for a Custom Mouthguard:

– Impressions

We take an impression of your teeth to get an exact replica of your upper teeth and jaw.

– Lab Fabrication

We send your impression to a professional dental lab who will fabricate your Custom Mouthguard to whichever colour you’d like.

– Delivery

We invite you back to our office to try on your new Custom Mouthguard and make sure you love its fit!

That’s it! It’s really just as simple as having a mold taken of your teeth and letting us take care of the rest. If we’re doing a full team of athletes, we often deliver the Custom Mouthguards right to the playing area (hockey arena, football field, basketball court, etc).

A few different details factor into the cost of a Custom Mouthguard including the type of material used, the number of Mouthguards required (some people require top and bottom guards), and any additional customizations requested. However, you can expect to pay anywhere between $100 and $600 for a Custom Mouthguard at Collingwood Family Dental. Our fees are based on the Ontario Dental Fee Guide for the current year, provided by the Ontario Dental Association. 

While there are cheaper options on the market such as Boil-and-Bite or Stock Mouthguards, there really is no comparison when considering the overall effectiveness of all three types of Mouthguards. Custom Fitting Mouthguards will not only stay in place better during impact but will keep its fit much longer and protect your teeth better than Boil-and-bite and Stock Mouthguards. This can help you to avoid (but not guarantee) costly dental emergencies such as lacerations, broken or cracked teeth, concussions, and other potentially serious damages to your teeth.

Most Dental Insurance Coverage plans do not cover Custom Mouthguards, however, there are some that do! It’s best to check with our team at Collingwood Family Dental to see if Custom Mouthguards are covered under your Dental Insurance Coverage plan. Our team will be able to walk you through your coverage and help to explain your Dental Insurance Coverage plan in great detail.

Our team at Collingwood Family Dental offers Direct Insurance Billing for the convenience of our patients. This means we accept the Assignment of Benefits and only require you to pay deductibles, co-payments, and other mandatory fees up-front. We’ll submit your claim and collect the treatment amount from your Dental Insurance Coverage company for you so you don’t have to deal with the paperwork.