Over-the-counter mouthguards are fitted and formed by heat, finger, tongue and biting pressure. They have been shown to have limited protective capacity, because of poor fit, poor durability, and interference with speech and breathing.
Custom mouth guards, on the other hand, made on dental models of a person's teeth, are accurately adapted to the teeth, retentive, do not deform, and can be fabricated at the proper thickness to absorb and spread impact energy.
Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics (661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com 5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309
