Mouthguards Adelaide

Mouthguards are mandatory in many organised contact sports in Australia, including rugby, AFL, boxing, and martial arts, and strongly recommended for hockey, basketball, netball, and soccer where incidental contact is common. Any sport where there’s a risk of collision, falls, or ball-to-face contact carries a genuine risk of dental injury. Dental trauma from sport — chipped, fractured, or knocked-out teeth — can be expensive to treat and in some cases irreversible. A custom mouthguard is one of the most cost-effective ways to protect a healthy smile.

Yes, though a sports mouthguard and a night guard are different devices designed for different purposes. A night guard (occlusal splint) is made from a harder material and designed specifically to protect teeth from the sustained forces of grinding and clenching during sleep. It’s also designed to sit more precisely on the bite to reduce jaw muscle tension. If you grind at night, a sports mouthguard worn while sleeping is not an adequate substitute, you’d need a purpose-made night guard. Lidums Dental can assess and provide both depending on your needs.

For adults with stable teeth, a well-maintained custom mouthguard typically lasts 2–3 years. Signs it needs replacing include visible wear, a looser fit, cracks or tears in the material, or a change in your dental work (new crowns, veneers, or orthodontic changes). Children and teenagers need more frequent replacement as their teeth and jaws are still developing — often every 12–18 months. Bringing your mouthguard to your regular check-ups allows us to assess its condition and fit.

The most common cause is poor fit. Store-bought or boil-and-bite guards are notoriously uncomfortable because they don’t fit precisely — they’re loose, bulky, and interfere with breathing and speaking, which makes children reluctant to wear them consistently. A custom-fitted guard sits far more snugly, allows normal breathing and communication, and is far more likely to be worn throughout the game rather than left on the sideline. If your child has a custom guard that still feels uncomfortable, bring it in for an adjustment.

Especially so. Existing restorations represent a significant investment, and dental trauma during sport can chip, fracture, or dislodge crowns, veneers, and even implant crowns. A well-fitted custom mouthguard distributes impact forces across a broader area, significantly reducing the risk of damage to both natural teeth and restorations. If your dental situation has changed significantly since your last mouthguard was made — new crowns, implants, or orthodontic treatment — it’s worth having a new impression taken to ensure the current guard still fits optimally.

Yes. Higher-impact sports like boxing, rugby, and martial arts typically require a thicker, more substantial guard with greater energy absorption. Lower-impact sports may be adequately protected with a thinner, more comfortable guard that’s easier to wear for longer periods. At Lidums Dental, we take your sport, position, and history of dental injuries into account when recommending the appropriate thickness and design. A one-size approach doesn’t apply, the guard should suit both the protection required and the comfort needed to ensure it’s actually worn.