Mouthguards: What do you use?

[peteloaf 0]

Just picked up a Protech and it was super easy to mold. Took a few tries to get it perfect but very easy nonetheless. Screwed it up a few times so I put it in hot water which returns it to the original shape. Being able to remold the whole thing is very nice. It forms a tight seal once in and it's one of the few mouthguards that doesn't make me gag. It says that it comes with a case, but all it is is the clear plastic it comes packaged in. I had it on to test the fit while watching a hockey game and 2 periods in I forgot I even had it in!

[Stewie 721]

Just picked up a Protech and it was super easy to mold. Took a few tries to get it perfect but very easy nonetheless. Screwed it up a few times so I put it in hot water which returns it to the original shape. Being able to remold the whole thing is very nice. It forms a tight seal once in and it's one of the few mouthguards that doesn't make me gag. It says that it comes with a case, but all it is is the clear plastic it comes packaged in. I had it on to test the fit while watching a hockey game and 2 periods in I forgot I even had it in!

i should be getting mine in the mail here shortly, the novelty of the MOGO flavored mouthguard wore off quickly, i wanted something easier to breathe with, and keep reading these glowing reviews

[theflash0000 0]

Lol--snowball effect: I just ordered one, too...

[sickwilly 37]

Absolutely love the Protech. Not sure how well it actually protects, but I can breathe, talk and drink with it in. Most other mouth guards make me gag, this one doesn't.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

By the way, something I mentioned to somebody in a PM - the Protech, once youve molded it, feels REALLY tight on your teeth when you first put it in. I'm not sure if its the warmth from your mouth or just getting used to it, but the tightness goes away in about 10 minutes. Don't be alarmed by it! :)

It's so nice being able to talk with my mouthguard in, since I wear a cage and can't really take it out.

[rocknrolltakeover 0]

I love my Protech also. It's literally the first mouthguard I haven't ditched after five minutes on the ice. Very comfortable as everyone has mentioned.

And in terms of protection, I've never taken any serious hits with it, but then again, I wear it more to protect my teeth from clenching, grinding, and clapping together.

[leftwinger37 43]

I got a Gladiator about three years ago and it is one the best investments I have ever made. Its custom fit and is more low profile than any boil and bite that offers the same level of protection. However, when the Protech came out I had to see what the fuss was about. Although I can say that it is easy to mold, and can be easily remolded several times, the final product was very underwhelming. I can see why guys who haven't had success with mouthguards in the past are all about the low profile design, but you might as well not even wear one. Yes it is easy to drink with and yes the breathability is excellent, but I would not be confident at all to wear this during a game. The protection just isn't there. There is no way the Protech will be replacing my Gladiator.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I'd be plenty confident. Tons of protection, if not more, than a boil and bite. That's one of the best features of it! I think you're under the impression that big and cushy equals protection.

From their site:

It has been claimed that a mouth guard has to be of a soft material, in order to cushion the impact. This concept has not been scientifically proven, and our experiments clearly show how a soft material caves in while a hard material dissipates the forces over a larger area, therefore reducing the transmitted forces to individual teeth.

Soft material does not have a cushion effect.

An article in the journal Dental Materials, 2002; 211-215, by Danny Low et. al. confirms that thicker mouth guards have lower energy absorption.

[leftwinger37 43]

I'd be plenty confident. Tons of protection, if not more, than a boil and bite. That's one of the best features of it! I think you're under the impression that big and cushy equals protection.

From their site:

If I were wearing one while wearing a cage I would be confident, but no way would I expect this thing to withstand the brunt of anything as the first line of defense. They can deduce anything that they like from the experiments that they have conducted, but for the same reason you wouldn't catch me going into the corner wearing a Gretzky Jofa lid, you won't see me standing in front of the net, trying to get a tip-in wearing a Protech. That's just my two cents.

[Stewie 721]

The pro tech mouth guard is widely used in roller derby, with great results, and of there is anyone who wants good tooth protection... I love mine so far. I feel like I can skate longer now that I'm using it, it's just that much easier to breathe with. Taken a few hits to the jaw with no complaints on protection thus far

[hunt3rsean 44]

I just ordered a Protech mouthguard to try it out. Even the more lowprofile TapOut boil & bite guard has caused me to gag sometimes. I have a very large over bite so most over the counter mouthguards cause me to gag because they force my lower jaw forward so much. Also keeps me from breathing easily. The TapOut guard has, so far, been the best boil & bite guard for me. Very excited about the Protech to see how it works. Ultimate, if it doesn't work out. . .I will have to go via dentist for a complete custom. Just trying to find something to work in the meantime before going the full custom route.

[duff14oct 9]

Just got a PLAYSAFE Custom Mouthguard from my Dentist. Love the mouth guard. Hated having my impressions done. Almost puked on myself...

[IPv6Freely 2092]

If I were wearing one while wearing a cage I would be confident, but no way would I expect this thing to withstand the brunt of anything as the first line of defense. They can deduce anything that they like from the experiments that they have conducted, but for the same reason you wouldn't catch me going into the corner wearing a Gretzky Jofa lid, you won't see me standing in front of the net, trying to get a tip-in wearing a Protech. That's just my two cents.

I guess the difference is that the Gretzky Jofa helmet offered no real protection, whereas the Protech offers the same protection, if not better, than a boil and bite. I guess it's just a matter of getting over the myth that big and squishy automatically means more protective.

[hunt3rsean 44]

I guess the difference is that the Gretzky Jofa helmet offered no real protection, whereas the Protech offers the same protection, if not better, than a boil and bite. I guess it's just a matter of getting over the myth that big and squishy automatically means more protective.

I did watch an independant review on the Protech guard that once you take a significant blow you need to replace the guard. I'm assuming this is stick/puck right to the teeth. Or if you play in a checking league and really get ran so your teeth compress/hit hard enough together. It was explained that the holes on the guard allow the impact to spread across the guard instead of keeping it in one spot like softer guards. Of course, I hope no one (or myself) has to actually find out if it trully works that way or not. But, in theory, it makes sense.

[shooter27 116]

While the Protech is definitely better than your standard boil and bite, when the Protech costs $25+ shipping and you can get a custom Gladiator pro, with the at home mold kit (or a variety of other brands with at home mold kits) for $50+ shipping, I'll spend the extra $25 or so to get the true custom fit. Just my opinion, but the research I've seen has always had customs performing much much better than any form at home model (either boil and bite or protech).

[leftwinger37 43]

While the Protech is definitely better than your standard boil and bite, when the Protech costs $25+ shipping and you can get a custom Gladiator pro, with the at home mold kit (or a variety of other brands with at home mold kits) for $50+ shipping, I'll spend the extra $25 or so to get the true custom fit. Just my opinion, but the research I've seen has always had customs performing much much better than any form at home model (either boil and bite or protech).

Trust me, it's the only one you'll need until it's time to replace it. They also give you 50% off the price of a replacement if you re-order the same model and their customer service is great. I've had mine for about three years and it is still fully intact, but I will probably reorder one at the end of this season....

Now, It's not as though I'm totally opposed to change, which is why I tried the Protech in the first place. However: 1.) In my opinion, it doesn't pass the eyeball test. A mouthguard (for me anyway) should protect not only your teeth, but your gums and soft tissue as well. The Protech Dent and other low-profile guards lack the gum coverage that the Gladiator and others like it offer, 2.) It doesn't feel very durable. Once the structural integrity is compromised, it will not perform like it is supposed to. I had to remold it several times becasue my canine teeth kept making their imprints right on a vent hole. This resulted in the holes becoming wider. If I would have continued to use the mouthpiece, my canine teeth would have eventually poked right through those holes, 3.) The warranty is a joke. I've had $10 boil and bite guards with more inclusive warranties.

Now, just because it's not for me doesn't mean others won't enjoy it. It all depends on what you are looking for.

...It was explained that the holes on the guard allow the impact to spread across the guard instead of keeping it in one spot like softer guards. Of course, I hope no one (or myself) has to actually find out if it trully works that way or not.

Couldn't have said it better...

[danno25nh 3]

If I were wearing one while wearing a cage I would be confident, but no way would I expect this thing to withstand the brunt of anything as the first line of defense. They can deduce anything that they like from the experiments that they have conducted, but for the same reason you wouldn't catch me going into the corner wearing a Gretzky Jofa lid, you won't see me standing in front of the net, trying to get a tip-in wearing a Protech. That's just my two cents.

I'm not affiliated with Pro-tech in anyway. If you want to wear the most expensive or the least expensive guard out there I have no stake in your preference.

I do wonder however what science you base your statements on. With respect to a mouth guard, simple physics will tell you bigger does not mean more protection.

Mouthguards in our application spread impact out over an area. In this case we utilized the strength of several teeth to provide structural support in the event of an impact.

There is no measurable cushioning effect provided by a thicker mouth guard.

I have performed science based testing at my lab to confirm this as frankly I found Pro-Tech's claims to be a bit much at first glance. A thick mouth guard did not provide measurable cushioning improvement over the quite rigid Pro-tech.

[leftwinger37 43]

I have done some tests of my own in my lab and the results are in: I'm sticking with the Gladiator.

I don't recall ever saying bigger is better or making any claims based on any type of scientific research. I gave my feedback on product A, stated that in comparison I like product B, and stated that this is my opinion. I don't claim to be an authority on the subject; I'm just a guy who has used a few mouthgaurds over the years and wishes to keep his teeth intact.

[danno25nh 3]

As I said; I have no stake in what you wear or prefer. I agree Gladiator makes a very good mouthpiece at a reasonable price.

Your statements however are that "The protection just isn't there" and "you might as well not even wear one"

What science back those statements you present as fact?

You state you conducted experiments in your lab. Are you a scientist, engineer, or researcher?

In a forum in which people are trying to make purchasing decisions about safety equipment based on statements by others there is a big difference between: "I prefer brand X over brand Y because it is my opinion that (insert reason here)" and "Brand X offers better protection over brand Y because (insert non-science or testing based evidence here)."

No mouthguard will keep all of our teeth in our mouths should we take a hard enough impact to the mouth, some including Gladiator (which I have worn as a boxer) as well as other custom and upper end boil and bites such as Protech will offer a good measure of mitigation. The common misconception presented in this forum is that a mouth guard offers protection via cushioning impact. This is not true. This can be proven quite easily in the lab.

I would not say Protech offers the highest protection of any device on the market. I would say that it does offer measurably better spot impact mitigation than 6 different mouthpieces I tested, including one of my dental impression based custom mouthpieces (In the name of full disclosure my impression based unit was 2 years old and had been through 5 fights and many sparring sessions).

More importantly a comfortable device such as Protech is more likely to be worn than a bulky or uncomfortable device.

My qualms about companies like Gladiator are the claims that they reduce concussion and enhance performance. They also claim thicker is better. There is no evidence that either claim is true.

[leftwinger37 43]

It is not my intention to hi-jack this thread or turn it into a pissing contest; I just saw a lot of feedback for the Protech Dent and wanted to throw my $0.02 in.

I was clearly being facetious with my remark about the lab; I am not a scientist, engineer, or researcher. And not to slander my own environment, but I don't see many people using the scientific method to substantiate their claims on this forum. I did my best in post #66 to explain my reasoning, but quite simply I am not going to use a piece of equipment (and a very important piece at that) if I am not confident in it's ability to protect me.

[goblue9280 33]

Any of you have problems with the pro-tech losing it's shape? I bought one for my 8-year old and after only a couple of uses, it is flattening out. Not a big deal to reform it, but it'll be annoying if I have to do it every couple of weeks.

[Stewie 721]

Any of you have problems with the pro-tech losing it's shape? I bought one for my 8-year old and after only a couple of uses, it is flattening out. Not a big deal to reform it, but it'll be annoying if I have to do it every couple of weeks.

not me so far, but its only been about three games and a few weeks since i started using it. I just pretty much set it and forget it all day long. if anything, mine feels like its holding tighter actually than the first game. Also if your screen name should insinuate your a wolverines fan, you should know that the mouth guards are actually the creation of an ann arbor dentist.

[My Other Car Is A DeLorean 0]

Do mouthguards really help? And should you still wear one if you wear a full cage?

I remember having to wear one when I was a kid and hated it because my suliva would build up and I would choke on it.

[Stewie 721]

Do mouthguards really help? And should you still wear one if you wear a full cage?

I remember having to wear one when I was a kid and hated it because my suliva would build up and I would choke on it.

I didnt wear a mouthguard once in my life. I was playing in windsor and had forgotten mine. i had a full cage on, got an elbow to the chin, and my bottom 4 teeth were shattered. I will always wear a mouthguard from then on, and caution you should do the same, especially when there are way more comfortable options on the market. If you had saliva issues, DO NOT get the MOGO flavored mouth guard, however i noticed my protech doesnt give me a lot of saliva buildup at all.

[Blueandgold26 1]

For those who had their dentist make a mouth guard, did you have to pay for any of it? I talked to a hygienist at my dentist and told her that i wanted a mouthhguard for hockey, and it seems that people have had to pay. Is there something you have to say spspecifically to get the mouthguard covered? For example saying i grind my teeth at night.