Are custom mouthguards worth it?
For contact sport and regular training, yes for most players. The Australian Dental Association says a custom-made mouthguard protects the teeth and mouth the most, and is easier to breathe and talk in than a guard from a sports store or chemist.
A boil and bite costs less and you can buy one today, which is enough in some cases. Our custom guards are $230 to $365.
Custom vs boil and bite: how they compare
A boil and bite is a ready-made guard you shape at home, and a custom guard is made in a lab on a model of your teeth.
| Boil and bite | Custom, made by us | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | About $10 to $70 | $230 to $365 |
| How it's made | You soften a ready-made shape in hot water and bite into it | Made in our lab on a model of your teeth, from a 3D scan |
| Thickness | Moulding at home can leave some parts thinner than others | Two or three layers of material, formed over the model |
| Bite registration | No | Medium and Heavy record how your top and bottom teeth meet |
| Life span | Usually shorter | Usually longer, and several seasons once you've stopped growing |
| Health fund | Not claimable: funds pay for guards made on a model of your teeth | Claimable under item 151 on extras cover |
| Ready | The same day | 7 to 10 working days after your scan |
Thickness, life span and health fund rows: Australian Dental Association, American Dental Association and Police Health.
What is a boil and bite mouthguard?
A boil and bite is a shop mouthguard made of plastic that softens in hot water, so you can bite it into the rough shape of your teeth. In Australian sports stores they cost about $10 to $70, and they're easy to replace if one goes missing.
The Australian Dental Association says store-bought guards often fit poorly, which can leave them loose and make talking and breathing harder. Stock guards, the other shop option, come preformed and can't be shaped at all.
How to mould a boil and bite mouthguard
Follow the maker's instructions, because heating times differ between brands. Most say to soften the guard for a few seconds in water just off the boil, let it cool for a moment, centre it over your top teeth, then bite down and suck out the air while you press it against your teeth and gums. Set it in cold water afterwards.
If it moves when you open your mouth, or you have to bite down to keep it in, mould it again or try another size. With braces, read our guide to mouthguards for braces first.
How is a custom mouthguard made?
We scan your teeth in under five minutes, and our technicians make your guard by hand on a model of your teeth, in our own lab inside Dental Spot, a full dental practice in Croydon. Anthony Adaimy and his team have made mouthguards since 2009.
Light guards are dual layer. Medium and Heavy add bite registration, which records how your teeth meet, and Heavy has a third layer. Building a guard in layers keeps more material over the front teeth, where forming a single sheet thins it most.
You choose the colours, and can add names, numbers, flags and symbols. Each uploaded image or font outside the designer's list is $20 extra.
When is a boil and bite enough?
A boil and bite is enough when you need a guard today, as a spare in the kit bag, or for a sport you're only trying out. It also covers you while your custom guard is being made.
Check your competition's rules before you rely on one. The NRL names a custom-fitted guard as the ideal, the AFL's community policy says custom-made guards should be used by all players, and some combat sport bodies require a form-fitted guard.
Why does a custom mouthguard cost more?
A custom guard costs more because it is made for one mouth: a scan, a model of your teeth, and layers of material formed and finished by hand. A shop guard is one shape made in bulk.
Our guards are Light $230 for 15 and under, Medium $320 for 16 and over, and Heavy $365 for MMA, Muay Thai, kickboxing and hockey.
You can claim it on your health fund under item 151, on the spot in our Croydon clinic. Your gap depends on your fund and cover.
Which to choose
Weigh your budget, how often you train and play, and your competition's rules. Children's teeth change as they grow, so plan on replacing either type.
