Types of Mouth Guards:

There are four basic types of mouth guards.  It is important to remember that there are different levels of protection-quality and durability which vary by mouth guard type.

• Stock Mouth Guards (Type I): Stock mouth guards are ready to be worn without any preparation or alteration to the mouth guard itself. These guards come in standard sizes (small, medium, and large) and can be found at any sporting good store. This style of mouth guard has no way of staying in place without the athlete consciously holding it in by biting down, thus limiting speech and breathing ability, which make athletes reluctant to wear them. They wear quickly and often need to be replaced a few times during the duration of the athletic season.
   
• Boil-and-Bite Mouth Guards (Type II): Boil-and-Bite mouth guards are prepared by boiling in water for a set amount of time and then are formed to the mouth by the athlete applying pressure by biting and pressing it into place with their fingers. These guards, available at most sporting good stores, are currently the most used type of mouth guard. Since it has some impression of the athlete’s mouth, it is a better guard than the stock guards, but often is cut down too much to cover posterior teeth adequately.  These guards wear quickly and often become too thin to offer adequate protection of an athlete’s mouth.
   
• Vacuum-Formed Mouth Guards (Type III): Vacuum-formed guards must be fabricated by a dentist and cannot be bought by any other method.  These guards are made from a cast of the athlete’s mouth. Since Type III mouth guards are formed specifically to the mouth of the athlete, they are much more comfortable and facilitate easier breathing and talking than either of the previous two guards. Dentist-designed, these guards cover all teeth adequately and do not have to be replaced as often as either of the previous styles. However, they are more expensive since they are made by the dentist specifically for the athlete. Fees vary by dental office.
   
• Pressure-Laminate Mouth Guards (Type IV): Laminate mouth guards offer multiple-layer protection for the athlete’s mouth. These are the newest and most superior of the mouth guard styles.  The thickness of this mouth guard is more efficient at spreading out and lessening impact forces, thus reducing the severity of injury. This is the most expensive guard, but offers the best protection against oral injury and concussion. Laminate mouth guards must be custom-made in a dental office or a commercial laboratory. Fees vary by dental office or commercial manufacturer.