A custom mouthguard usually means more than one appointment, so it pays to plan. We help you organise the assessment, records and fitting around your child’s season, explain the options clearly, and talk about what to do if an injury happens far from our office.
When the dental office is not around the corner, the calendar matters. A custom sports guard involves an assessment, records of the teeth and a fitting, and those steps work best when they are mapped out against tryouts, the first game and school commitments rather than squeezed in at the last minute.
Making the most of each trip from Etobicoke starts at home. Pack your child’s current guard, a list of their sports, and notes about any teeth that have fallen out or come in recently. Tell us about past mouth injuries and orthodontic plans when you book, so the first visit can cover as much ground as possible.
We also want your child’s view. A guard they find bulky, loose or hard to speak through tends to vanish from the routine, and that problem is far easier to address in the chair than discovered halfway through the season.
Last year’s guard can quietly stop fitting. Bring it to the first appointment, and keep notes on any problems that come up between visits.
Include everything with a risk of contact, falls or flying equipment, from league games to weekend skating and cycling. The dentist can discuss where mouth protection fits beside helmets, face shields and the rules of each activity, whether or not a guard is required.
Ask directly whether the guard slips, rubs, or has to be clenched to stay up. Write down what your child says and bring the guard rather than trimming it. Children often keep quiet about discomfort if they think the guard is new and expensive.
Loose primary teeth, erupting adult teeth and planned braces can all shorten a guard’s useful fit. Share the orthodontic timeline so the plan can account for it, and ask how far ahead the next review should be booked to save extra trips.
After a knock to the mouth, an injury assessment may be needed even though a guard was worn. A mouthguard reduces risk but cannot confirm that teeth and tissues are unharmed.
Properly fitted mouthguards help reduce the risk of injuries to teeth and the soft tissues around them, and the Canadian Dental Association recommends considering custom-fitted guards. A guard can only contribute if it stays put during play, so time spent getting the fit right is time well used.
Remember what it can’t do. A mouthguard is not a substitute for a helmet, face protection, sensible rules or medical assessment after a possible head injury, and you should be cautious of any claim that it prevents concussion or guarantees against dental injury.
Patient information: Canadian Dental Association — preventing sports-related oral injuries
The clinician looks at your child’s teeth, bite and appliances rather than going by an age on a package. Ask how fit will be checked at the fitting and what a good guard should feel like. Your child’s comments help guide the result.
At the fitting your child practises inserting, removing and storing the guard without game-day pressure. Ask every question you have while you are there, since it saves a call or another trip later. Report discomfort rather than accepting it.
Because a growing mouth keeps changing, the fit needs revisiting. Ask which changes would justify a special visit and which can wait for the next routine appointment, and bring the guard each time you come in.
Start planning several weeks before the season if you can. The timeline depends on the guard chosen, and the first assessment does not include a finished custom guard.
When you call, mention the sport, age group, existing equipment, past injuries and orthodontic plans. Bring the current guard to the visit. Let us know about any difficulty your child has tolerating things in the mouth so the appointment can be paced well.
The clinician checks the teeth, bite, erupting teeth and appliances, and explains how custom and retail guards differ for your child. Ask how many visits each route involves, the cost, and when a replacement is likely, so you can plan the trips.
If you choose custom, ask whether records of the teeth can be taken during the same appointment, using the method the clinician arranges. Mention a strong gag or sensory concerns ahead of time, and confirm when the guard should be ready for fitting.
At delivery we check retention, comfort, breathing and speech, and your child practises with the guard. We review cleaning and storage, and agree on the next review. Ask what to do if a tooth erupts, the guard tears, or braces change the fit before then.
Follow the instructions for your child’s guard material and design. Younger children usually need a parent to keep the routine going.
Rinse and clean the guard as you were shown, with products suitable for its material. Let it dry before it goes back in a ventilated case. Heat can warp it, so don’t leave it in the car on a warm day or near a heater.
Every week or two, check for tears, worn areas, warping or sharp edges. Encourage your child not to chew on it between plays. It should never be shared, and a damaged guard should not be repaired with glue.
If the guard stops seating comfortably after a tooth comes out or comes in, after a filling, or after braces are adjusted, phone first and describe the change. We can advise whether it needs a visit now or can wait for the next appointment.
Patient information: Fraser Health — choosing and caring for sports mouthguards
Families ask about timing, the number of visits, growth and what to do after an injury. Some answers depend on your child’s teeth on the day.
Call our Bronte Street practice to plan your child’s sports protection. Bring the current guard and a list of activities, and tell us about any braces or recent dental changes so we can make each trip count.
Guard type, fit, fabrication time and replacement are discussed individually. A dental injury still needs assessment even with a guard in place.
