If you or your kid play a contact sport, we recommend a custom mouthguard. The ones you buy at the sporting-goods store are better than nothing — but not by as much as you'd hope.
Why custom fits better
A custom mouthguard is made from an impression we take in the office, so it's shaped exactly to your teeth. It fits better, breathes better, and actually stays in your mouth during play. Which is the point. The boil-and-bite versions work in a pinch, but most athletes find them bulky, and if a mouthguard isn't comfortable enough to wear, it can't protect teeth it isn't in.
What it protects against
A good mouthguard cushions the kind of blow that would otherwise crack teeth, split lips, or in a bad hit, break the jaw. Football, hockey, basketball, wrestling, lacrosse, mountain biking, skateboarding — if there's contact, it's worth having one.
The fitting
One short visit. We take an impression, and the guard is ready at a follow-up appointment. With normal care, a custom mouthguard lasts a couple of seasons before it needs to be remade — longer for adults than for kids, since growing mouths outpace the fit.
Also: nightguards
If you grind your teeth at night, the same technology applies — a custom-fit appliance, worn while you sleep, that protects the teeth from the grinding forces. Different use case, same basic idea. We can talk about either one at your next visit.