Leaving the Proper Impression for a Custom Mouthguard

For those looking for the absolute best protection and comfort from a mouthguard, a custom mouthguard option that uses an actual impression of your mouth for its design is the way to go. Unlike other options, which you try to fit to your mouth as best you can using varying techniques, these custom mouthguard options are designed directly for your individual mouth and jaw structure.

At Damage Control Mouthguards, we offer a variety of custom options for sport mouthguards, ranging from MMA and boxing mouthguards to football, basketballand numerous other sports. When you purchase a custom mouthguard through us, we will send you a self-impression kit in the mail so you can provide us with the impression of your mouth ahead of time – here are some important tips on making the proper impression using this kit so your mouthguard is ideally fit moving forward.

Tray and Fit

For obvious reasons, you need all of your teeth to fit comfortably into the impression tray on the kit we will be sending you. At the same time, it’s vital to remember that there should be no material in the soft palate area of your mouthguard– the fleshy section near the back end of the roof of your mouth, which can cause gagging or other issues if material is present.

For this reason, realize that it’s not quite as important to capture every single tooth, namely wisdom teeth. The custom mouthguard does not need to reach back that far, and in fact may be uncomfortable if it does. Your material should stop between the end of the first molar and midway through the second, so this is where we recommend cutting off your impression as well.

Mouth Structure

When it dries, your impression is used to create a model of your mouth’s exact structure. If a tooth is somehow missed or not pressed down hard enough, it may not fit into the final product. Both the inside and outside of each tooth should be visible in the impression you make.

Clean Imprint

Do your very best to avoid habits like wiggling, sliding or double-pressing your teeth into the impression material. Try to get a clean imprint by making a single solid press, positioning the tray below your teeth and then pushing it straight up. Don’t actively bite into the material – rather hold your teeth at an even level and press the tray upward into them, then leave it in place for a few minutes.

Leaving a Deep Impression

When performing this push, try for as deep an impression as you can realistically make. This will allow the material to capture the full tooth structure, plus your gum area that needs to be protected against cuts and other tooth root risks. Don’t worry about hitting the bottom of the tray with your upper teeth, as this will not damage the impression.

For more on how to ensure you make a proper impression for a custom mouthguard, or to learn about any of our sport mouthguard products, speak to the staff at Damage Control Mouthguards today.