Custom Mouth Guards for Sport
Custom fit mouth guards made from precise impressions of your teeth, at CJ Dentistry Alexandra Headland.
A custom mouth guard is made from an exact impression of your teeth, so it grips securely, spreads impact across the whole arch, so it grips securely and spreads impact across the whole arch. At CJ Dentistry in Alexandra Headland, we make custom fit mouth guards for Sunshine Coast players of all ages, from junior rugby league to adult boxing.
- Moulded from precise impressions of your own teeth
- Fitted thickness where your sport needs it most
- Team colours and personalisation available
- Designed so you can breathe and talk while wearing it
- Suitable for adults, teens and kids in contact sport
Custom Fit vs Boil-and-Bite Mouth Guards
Because a boil and bite mouth gard is softened at home and bitten into shape, the thickness can end up uneven, the fit is loose, and players tend to clench to hold it in place, which makes breathing and calling for the ball harder. Many end up chewed, ill-fitting or left in the kit bag.
A custom made sports mouth guard is different. It’s built on a model of your teeth, so it holds on by fit rather than clenching. The material thickness is controlled, with protection concentrated over the front teeth and biting surfaces where impacts land. The Australian Dental Association recommends a custom-fitted mouthguard for anyone playing a sport with a risk of contact to the face.
A dental injury can need extensive treatment, which is why the ADA recommends a custom-fitted guard for contact sport.
How Your Mouth Guard Is Made
Step 1: Impressions at the practice
A short appointment at Alexandra Headland to take impressions of your teeth. For kids and teens whose mouths are still changing, we check for erupting teeth and orthodontic work that affects the design.
Step 2: Custom fabrication
Your guard is made on a model of your teeth with the right thickness for your sport, in the colours you choose. Single colours, club combinations and names are all doable.
Step 3: Fitting and check
We fit the guard, check coverage and bite, and trim any spots that need refining.
Which Sports Need a Mouth Guard?
Any sport where there is a risk of a knock to the face: rugby league, rugby union, AFL, boxing and martial arts, hockey, basketball, netball, water polo, and skateboarding or BMX. Dental injuries also happen in sports often thought of as low-contact, such as cricket and touch football. Check what your club or code requires. If a tooth is knocked out or broken during sport, our emergency dental page explains what to do.
For kids, we recommend a check each season. A guard made last year may not fit once baby teeth have been lost and adult teeth are coming through.
Mouth Guards With Braces or Orthodontics
A custom mouth guard can be designed to fit over braces and to allow for tooth movement during orthodontic treatment. Tell us about braces or aligners when you book so the design can be planned around them. The guard may need remaking as the teeth move.
Will a custom mouth guard prevent all dental injuries?
A custom mouth guard is designed to reduce the risk of dental injury, but no mouth guard can prevent every injury. It needs to be worn every time you train and play, and replaced when it’s distorted, damaged or no longer fits, including when a child’s teeth change or after dental work that changes your bite. If you do take a knock to the mouth, see a dentist even if the guard was in.
You can read more about mouth guards and other treatments on our Treatment Risks and Recovery page.
Cost and Care
You’ll get the exact price when you book or at your fitting, and many health funds rebate part of the cost under general dental. To keep your guard in shape: rinse it after each game, clean it with cold water and a soft brush, store it dry in its ventilated case, and keep it away from hot cars and dashboards, which warp the material.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a custom mouth guard cost?
Custom mouth guards at CJ Dentistry are priced per guard, with the exact fee confirmed when you book. Many health funds pay a rebate under general dental cover, and our reception team can check yours. It remains far cheaper than repairing a single fractured front tooth.
How long does it take to get a custom mouthguard?
Usually two short visits: one for impressions and one for fitting, typically within a week or two depending on the time of year. Pre-season is the busiest period, so booking a few weeks before round one avoids the rush.
Can kids wear custom mouth guards while their teeth are still coming through?
Yes, and they should if they play contact sport. The guard is designed around the current mix of baby and adult teeth, sometimes with room for teeth that are close to erupting. Because kids’ mouths change quickly, have the fit checked at the start of each season.
What's the difference between a mouth guard and a night guard?
A sports mouth guard absorbs impact from knocks and is worn during play. A night guard (occlusal splint) is thinner and harder, worn during sleep to protect teeth from grinding. They aren’t interchangeable; wearing a sports guard at night or a splint on the field does neither job well. We make both, so tell us what you need it for.
How long does a custom mouth guard last?
For adults, a well-cared-for custom guard commonly lasts several seasons. Replace it sooner if it’s distorted, cracked, or no longer grips your teeth, and after any dental work that changes your bite. Children usually need a new or adjusted guard each season as their mouths grow.
Are there limits to what a mouth guard can do?
Yes. A custom mouth guard reduces the risk of dental injury, but it can’t prevent every injury, and it only works if it fits and is worn every time. You can read more on our Treatment Risks and Recovery page.
Protect the smile before the season does its worst.
Book your custom mouth guard fitting at CJ Dentistry, Alexandra Headland: (07) 5479 5522.