A mouth guard is a special device designed to protect the jaw from dislocations and injuries, and the oral cavity from injuries and cuts. Having appeared in the eighties of the last century, this accessory is now an integral attribute of all combat martial arts and contact sports. Regardless of whether you are a professional boxer or just mastering martial arts, going into the ring without a mouthguard threatens to get serious injuries.
Under these brands, various mouthguards are presented on the market, designed for both beginners and amateurs, as well as for professional athletes. Reviews about them can be read on the Internet at specialized portals dedicated to boxing and martial arts.
Cap types
Currently, the following types of caps are popular.
Ready mouthguards
A versatile and most common type of mouthguard that can be bought at a pharmacy or sports equipment stores. These models are available in several standard sizes and are intended for hobbyist use. Their main advantage is their low price.
Advantages
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Low price;
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Prevalence. You can buy it at almost any pharmacy or sports equipment store;
disadvantages
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Mediocre workmanship;
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Insufficient jaw protection during sparring;
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Difficulty breathing
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Insufficiently reliable fixation on the teeth due to the universal attachment;
Thermoplastic mouth guards
These models are also called anatomical. They are a workpiece of a special shape, made of a material prone to deformation under the influence of hot water. Before use, the workpiece is immersed in boiling water for 30 seconds, after which it is cooled and pressed tightly against the jaw on which the mouthguard will subsequently be put on. As it hardens, it assumes an anatomical shape and completely follows the contours of the jaw, providing maximum protection.
Advantages
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Allows you to customize the jaw of any shape;
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Strong and durable;
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Provides maximum protection against injury;
disadvantages
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Expensive;
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Are not durable;
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Individually selected for a specific person;
Dental
Individual mouthguard, made in a special laboratory based on the impression of a particular athlete's teeth. Provides maximum protection against injury and a perfect fit for the athlete's jaw.
Advantages
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Precise manufacturing taking into account all the nuances of the jaw structure;
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Strength and durability;
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High quality workmanship;
disadvantages
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Individual mouthguards are the most expensive;
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Manufactured in specialized dental clinics;
In addition to the above models, on sale you can find so-called dental trays used for aligning the bite or whitening teeth. They are inserted for a short period of time and, thanks to a certain active substance, such mouth guards perform the functions assigned to them.
Mouthguard selection options
Choosing the right mouthguard for your boxing match involves the following key features.
Design
Sports mouth guards can be divided into two conditional groups – mouth guards that are put on one row of teeth (upper or lower) or mouth guards that are fixed on both jaws. The first models are not able to protect against powerful pinpoint impacts, but they are much more convenient to use and do not cause discomfort. The latter, on the contrary, provide high protection of the teeth, but do not allow either talking or even breathing intensively during sparring.
Cap color
For use in professional boxing, mouthguards are chosen that have a white or light color. This is done so that the judge can visually determine the degree of injuries inflicted on the athlete by the opponent. It is for this reason that red mouthguards are practically not used, with the exception of amateur matches or all kinds of friendly sparring and training.
Application specificity
Contact sports can be radically different from each other, and depending on their specifics, many manufacturers develop their own cap models. You should choose a model that is designed for use in a particular sport, you should not think that a mouthguard designed for American football or hockey is suitable for doing Muay Thai.
Smell and taste
A truly high-quality mouth guard should be odorless and tasteless. This is done in order to eliminate the likelihood of allergies affecting the gums and soft tissues of the oral cavity. In addition, the 'tasteless' mouthguard will cause discomfort to the athlete, thereby distracting from the main task.
Anatomical fit
When the mouthguard matches the anatomical structure of the athlete's jaw, it not only does not create a sensation of discomfort, but it does not even feel like an extraneous object placing it on the teeth. Moreover, a properly fitted mouthguard absolutely does not interfere with talking, breathing and drinking, being, in fact, a logical continuation of the athlete's teeth.
In the following articles, our experts will tell you how to choose a punching bag, the secrets of choosing a punching bag and the features of choosing boxing gloves.
Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a purchase guide.
