Custom-made mouthguards at Coastal Dental Care
What is a custom-made mouthguard?
A custom-made mouthguard is designed to fit your mouth seamlessly. It is made of a flexible material which protects your teeth from impact during sporting activities.
By providing support to the jaw, a custom-made mouthguard can help reduce the effects of a concussion.
Each mouthguard can be customised to a patients’ needs. We offer a range of colours and can print pictures and symbols onto the mouthguard.
Treatment suitability
Mouthguards are suitable for children and adults of any age who are looking to protect their teeth from injury. Depending on your age and purpose for the mouthguard, we have three different options available.
What are the different types and prices of mouthguards?
At Coastal Dental Care, we offer 3 different packages for custom-made mouthguards, they are:
Bronze package:
For children with baby teeth – Single layer, single colour
Suitable for children under the age of 6 years with baby teeth and a small mouth. This type of mouthguard is great to help children get used to wearing a mouthguard during sport. A bronze package single layer, single colour mouthguard is $120. If you are a private health fund member with available dental extras cover, you can choose your preferred payment method to cover the gap (if there is any) between your health fund payment and the mouthguard price.
Silver package:
For children with adult teeth and adults – Dual layer, single colour
This mouthguard type is suitable for children with permanent dentition, teens as well as adults who play casual sports. You can choose a single colour from a wide variety. A silver package dual layer, single colour mouthguard is $165. If you are a private health fund member with available dental extras cover, you can choose your preferred payment method to cover the gap (if there is any) between your health fund payment and the mouthguard price. Can’t decide for just one colour? You can add an additional colour for a $15 surcharge.
Gold package:
For patients who do high-impact sports – Dual layer, dual colour, hard insert
The gold package mouthguard is suitable for individuals with adult teeth that perform high impact sports like boxing, rugby league and union, jiu jitsu, MMA, etc., and/or professional athletes of any sports. You can choose two colours from a wide variety of options. The hard insert is designed especially for shock absorption. If you have private health insurance with available dental extras cover, your health fund may cover part of the mouthguard cost. Our friendly front desk teams will be able to let you know how much your out of pocket amount will be. If you don’t have private health cover, your custom-designed mouthguard costs $240.
Would you like to customise it some more? If you want your initials, an image or logos (please ensure you don’t infringe copyrights or trademarks), there will be surcharges between $20-$30. For more information, ask your friendly team during your next visit.
How much does a mouthguard cost?
For patients with private health insurance with available dental extras cover, the out-of-pocket amount may vary and depend on the type of mouthguard and dental extras cover. Our friendly front desk teams will be able to let you know how much your out of pocket amount will be at your appointment.
For patients without health cover, a mouthguard can cost between $120 and $240 as mentioned in the options above.
How to look after your mouthguard
To keep your mouthguard clean, you should rinse it with cold water or mouthwash before use. Avoid using hot water as this can damage your mouthguard.
After use, you should thoroughly clean the mouthguard with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Alternatively, you can clean the guard with lukewarm, soapy water or denture cleaning tablets.
Our mouths contain a plethora of bacteria and plaque, which is why it is so important to keep your mouthguard clean.
How long does a mouthguard last?
As a rule, you should replace your mouthguard every two years. Due to the pressure of teeth and alternate wetting and drying, the mouthguard will break down over time.
If the mouthguard experiences signs of wear and tear (holes, cracks, loose fitting or irritates the gums) you should replace it as soon as possible. The same goes if the mouthguard experiences a strong impact as its effectiveness might have altered.
Tip: It is always a good idea to bring your mouthguard with you to your dental check-up, so it can be inspected by the dentist.
Over-the-counter vs custom mouthguards
There are two main types of mouthguards; over-the-counter and custom-made mouthguards.
Also known as boil-and-bite, over-the-counter mouthguards are readied for fitting by first immersing the mouthguard material in hot water. Once the mouthguard is sufficiently warmed through, you bite into it to mould it to your teeth.
While this might sound good, these boil-and-bite models are typically less comfortable and less effective than custom-made mouthguards. This is because they only conform to your bite, where a custom-made mouthguard is crafted to fit with the anatomy of your jaw. Further to this, the boil-and-bite models are generally bulky, and if they get too hot, they can lose their shape and become uncomfortable.
On the other hand, custom-made mouthguards are more tolerant to heat. They are also moulded to suit you and will provide the best support.
Mouthguards at Coastal Dental Care
When you visit a Coastal Dental Care dentist, we will discuss your options to determine the best mouthguard option for you. Find your closest practice location today.