Custom sports mouthguard or boil-and-bite: which fits your sport?
Medically reviewed by
Dr. Madhavi Bhoompalli, DDS, dentist and owner at Johns Creek Family Dentistry
Last reviewed: September 2026
The short answer
A custom sports mouthguard is made for your mouth; a boil-and-bite guard is molded at home according to its instructions. Both need to fit well enough to be worn consistently. Compare retention, breathing, speech, and compatibility with dental work rather than choosing only by color or advertised thickness.
A sports mouthguard cushions impacts to the mouth and helps reduce dental and soft-tissue injuries. It is useful beyond collision sports because falls and accidental contact can also injure teeth. Custom, boil-and-bite, and stock guards differ in fit and preparation, but an appropriate guard you wear is more useful than one left in its case.
Tell the dentist which sport you play, whether you use a helmet, and what makes your current guard uncomfortable. Ask to check its fit while speaking and breathing, and discuss whether it stays in place without constant clenching. Bring the old guard and mention crowns, bridges, loose teeth, or recent dental work so the recommendation reflects your actual mouth.
Confirm the fitting process and expected delivery before the season begins. Ask how to clean and store the appliance and when a change in fit should prompt reassessment. A mouthguard reduces risk; it cannot guarantee that a collision will cause no injury. Include its use during practice as well as games in your planning, because the need for protection follows the activity rather than whether an official score is being kept.
At Johns Creek Family Dentistry, Dr. Madhavi Bhoompalli, DDS provides sports mouth guards from one office on McGinnis Ferry Road. To talk it through, contact our Duluth office serving Johns Creek or call 770-814-7600.
This is general information, not medical advice; candidacy is determined by a dental provider.