ANSWERS

How is a custom sports mouth guard made?

A custom sports mouth guard is made from a digital intraoral scan or PVS impression of the athlete's upper arch, poured or printed into a working model, then pressure-laminated from multi-layer EVA sheets (typically 3 to 4mm thickness). The lab trims, polishes, and verifies occlusal clearance against the lower arch.

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Why it works this way

The five-step lab workflow

A custom sports mouth guard starts with an accurate upper-arch impression. Most referring dentists now send Dani Dental an intraoral scan file (STL or PLY) from a 3Shape TRIOS, iTero, or Medit i700 scanner; the remainder ship traditional PVS impressions by courier. Either path lands the case on the bench within 24 hours of pickup.

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What thickness should a custom sports mouth guard be?

For contact sports such as football, hockey, lacrosse, and rugby, Dani Dental fabricates guards at 3 to 4mm multi-layer EVA. For non-contact and limited-contact sports such as basketball or soccer, 3mm is appropriate. Thinner than 3mm sacrifices impact absorption; thicker than 4mm interferes with breathing and speech. The dentist specifies thickness on the Rx based on the sport and the athlete's age.

Can a custom mouth guard be made for an athlete in orthodontic braces?

Yes. The lab fabricates the guard with relief over the brackets and archwire so the appliance does not bind as teeth move. Dani Dental typically uses a softer 4mm single-layer EVA for ortho cases rather than the dual-hardness lamination used on non-ortho guards, and the guard is designed to be reusable through minor tooth movement. Most ortho athletes need a replacement every 6 to 9 months as the bite changes.

How long does a custom sports mouth guard last?

A well-fabricated adult guard used through a single competitive season (roughly 4 to 6 months) holds its fit and protective properties. Youth athletes whose dentition is still erupting typically need replacement every 3 to 4 months. Signs the guard needs replacement: loss of retention, visible perforation of the outer EVA layer, or chewing-through of the occlusal surface from clenching during play.

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This answer is one piece of a larger workflow. The pillar page covers materials, turnaround, and how we build the case to your specification.

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