Summer multiplies sports activity: soccer matches between cousins, boxing classes, street basketball, cycling, skateboarding. And with activity come injuries. A blunt fact: a well-fitted mouthguard prevents up to 60% of sports-related dental injuries. It's the most underestimated piece of equipment in sports.
Most common sports-related dental injuries
- Avulsion: tooth knocked completely out. An emergency with a 30-60 minute window for replantation.
- Crown fracture: from superficial (enamel only) to deep (reaches the nerve, requires a root canal).
- Root fracture: compromises the root, prognosis varies.
- Luxation: displaced tooth without coming completely out (intrusion, extrusion, lateral).
- Dental concussion: impact without displacement that may cause pulp necrosis weeks later.
- Soft tissue injuries: cuts to lips, tongue and cheeks from the teeth themselves.
Which sports require it?
Direct-contact sports are obvious: boxing, rugby, hockey, martial arts, American football. But these also justify it: soccer (ball strikes and headers), basketball (elbows — the leading cause), skateboarding and BMX (frontal falls), mountain biking and gymnastics.
The three types
1. Stock (prefabricated)
Ready to use. The cheapest and least effective: they don't fit, they interfere with speech and breathing. Better than nothing, barely.
2. Boil-and-bite
Softened in hot water and molded with the bite. Acceptable but imperfect fit. They deform with use. Valid for low-contact recreational sports.
3. Custom-made in clinic
The gold standard. Precise dental impression + laboratory fabrication. Perfect fit, maximum protection, superior durability, comfortable enough that you forget you're wearing it. Essential for contact sports.
Why does custom-made make the difference?
- Covers the entire arch including posterior molars.
- Distributes impact force across the whole arch, not on one tooth.
- Strategic thickness in higher-risk zones depending on the sport.
- Doesn't fall out or move during intense activity.
- Respects the natural bite and TMJ.
- Can be made over orthodontic brackets.
Mouthguards for kids
- 5-8 years (mixed dentition): renewal every 6-12 months.
- 9-13 years: annual renewal as permanent teeth erupt.
- 14+ years: durable mouthguard lasting 2-3 years.
- With braces: special mouthguard with space for brackets.
Care and maintenance
- Rinse with cold water before and after each use.
- Brush with mild soap 1-2 times a week.
- Store in a ventilated case (not a closed bag).
- Avoid direct heat (car, sun).
- Inspect monthly for cracks or deformation.
The math nobody does
A custom mouthguard costs a fraction of treating a single dental injury. Replanting an avulsed tooth requires a root canal + crown + follow-up. If it fails, you move on to extraction + implant — 50 to 100 times the cost of the mouthguard that would have prevented everything.
Minimum investment, maximum protection
At Clínica Endodontics in San Miguel, we make custom mouthguards for kids and adults. One appointment for the impression and a few days of laboratory work. If the sports season is starting soon, schedule in advance.
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