What are the Best Mouthguards for Basketball?
Basketball is a fun game! Whether you play it for the passion, as a profession, or are after the money, there is no denying the thrill that comes with the moves, dribbles, dunks, and more. To enjoy it optimally, however, having all the right gear with you is essential.
What is the right gear for any game? Most are direct and are what we mostly see or interact with, in the first instance. Others often go overlooked, despite their criticality. Perhaps, it’s because some players fail to put all factors into consideration before making such purchases.
Don’t just think about getting the ball into that basket. Other things come into play as well, and among them are safety matters. In any game, it is safer always to expect injuries to happen. Don’t, therefore, leave yourself exposed to such risks.
Anyone with the ball or after it has fair intentions of winning for their side. Plenty of energy comes along with that, sometimes, ignorance, and even unforeseeable factors, which may leave you with a mark or injury.
Our bodies’ upper parts are undeniably among the most critical areas that always have to be kept from harm’s way. In basketball, it wouldn’t be something new to get your teeth blown out of your mouth by a robust and stray elbow. As per USC, there’s a 10% dental injury risk to basketball players.
Your eyes may be safe because of the size of the ball, and your head, because of the nature of the game. Your teeth, however, could do better with a mouthguard. Basketball mouthguards are available in many varieties, and their costs may differ as well.
How then do you choose the best mouthguard from the available options? In this article, we’re going to look at not only how but also top basketball mouthguards in the market. Understanding their features is one good step towards getting what will work for you. Why don’t we begin by looking at the top products? They are:
① Impact Custom -TOP PICK | |
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② Sisu NextGen Aero Guard | |
③ Shock Doctor Gel Max Flavor Fusion | |
④ Redline Sportswear Mouthguard |
1. Impact Custom
A custom-made mouthguard is meant to match your preference. Before, dentists would be the go-to for these mouthguards, which was pretty expensive. With the Impact, however, you’ll be getting a preferred mouthpiece that comes at only $64.
Upon purchase of the Impact mouthguard, you should receive an impression kit. With it, you’ll be able to make your teeth’s impression at the comfort of your home. You shouldn’t find this process to be complicated, but should you face any challenges, the added YouTube instructional will ease things.
Satisfied with your impressions, you can, with the prepaid postage label on the mouthguard, send it back for preparation, which typically takes eight days. This custom-made piece by Impact provides a good fit, making breathing easy and natural. You should also find it easy to drink water comfortably.
Pros
- Great quality
- Multi-sport (it can also be used in other games like baseball, football, rugby, e.t.c.)
- 100% perfect fit guarantee
Cons
- A past user reported discomfort
- A past user reported it to be a little too thick
2. Sisu NextGen Aero Guard
The Aero Guard is a superior product by Akervall, which has gained prominence for the Sisu product line. You may love wearing this mouthguard for plenty of reasons, one being its design and innovativeness. Completely flat and made of plastic with a resemblance to a jaw shape.
For a memorable experience, you should dip the mouthguard in water of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Wait for 60 seconds, then take it out; you should find it pretty moldable, meaning that you will not have a problem fixing it to your teeth.
You may love the material’s 1.6mm thickness, which delivers ultimate comfort. It is also easily breathable and doesn’t hinder communication. Any avid basketball player may enjoy using this mouthguard because of how well it serves its protective purpose.
While there is no doubt about the Aero’s strength, enhanced by its thinness and the aforementioned features, it has an added warranty, should anything go wrong. This covers a $35,000 dental insurance, and about $913 per tooth.
Some people may not be drawn as much by a mouthguard’s ultra-thinness. The Sisu Max, therefore, is an available alternative, with an extra 50% of the thickness. Generally, nonetheless, the Sisu Aero should serve you optimally; enjoy your next match!
Pros
- Slim fit & ultra-light
- Easily breathable
- Comfortable & easily moldable
Cons
- Some users found the molding process to be strenuous and difficult
- Some users found its lightweight to be unreliable in other situations
3. Shock Doctor Gel Max Flavor Fusion
You may know Shock Doctor for its prominence in protective sports gear. Their mouthguards come in a wide variety, with the Gel Max offering flavored options. If you have kids that would do with mouth protection, or if you’re having difficulty sticking with a mouthguard for long, then the flavors could make things easier.
You can get them in bubble gum, lemon-lime, and even sour apple. Your preference will guide you on what to go for, but notably, some older people/users may prefer the unflavored Shock Doctor version. From its name, Gel Max, this mouthguard comes lined along with its plastic frame with an easily moldable gel.
The frame is sturdy, and the gel gets softer in heat. You should find it to be quite comfortable, so getting a secure lock with a simple bite should do the trick. In case you face any challenges, you can always try remolding it until it’s perfect. You could also try biting it down hard, and with your fingertips, press it against your teeth along the edges.
While this is a sturdy mouthguard offering good protection, there are a few setbacks that you may want to know. One is its bulky frame, which may not only hinder your mouth closure but could also affect easy breathing and talking. Some more complaints have come up on its size, which is more relevant to youngsters and isn’t a great fit for larger mouths.
Pros
- Sturdy
- Flavored
- Great fit
Cons
- Some users found it to be bulky
- Some users had issues with getting the proper sizing
4. Redline Sportswear Mouthguard
In this list and out there, you’ll find the Redline Sportswear to be on the affordable ends. For its price, you may love its great quality and a better fit for your teeth. It is made of a thick material, which is meant to take heavy and impact blows, better in sports like boxing and Jiu-Jitsu.
Basketball, however, is a game that relies a lot on maneuverability, communication, and of course, breathing. Thicker materials make these more difficult. It comes in a boil-and-bite design, which should offer an excellent fit to both kids and adults alike. More protection source from the Redline Sportswear’s gel-lined design, which comes with a dual-layer.
Its vented carrying case offers security and protection to your mouthguard so that you don’t have to worry about dirt, bacteria, or damage. Its free Carabiner makes it convenient and easy to hang or clip the mouthguard onto a locker or gym bag. This product has a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Pros
- Affordable
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
- Great quality & fit
Cons
- Unnecessarily thick for basketball
- Not easily breathable
How many times have you left out recommended equipment in any sport and actually enjoyed playing it? I feel that certain “recommendations” turn to essentials, depending on the effect they have on the outcome of the match. Protective gear is essential unless you don’t mind leaving a match with injuries.
Of course, injuries happen all the time, and that’s something that may be difficult to control. But if you’ve heard that life shouldn’t be controlled, instead, lived, then we can probably agree that it’s necessary to prevent what you can, and keep critical parts of your body from harm’s way.
Dental injuries are common in basketball, as they are in most other games. Thanks to mouthguards, however, you can now safely enjoy a match with little to none. Medical bills, apart from our general health, can be quite strenuous. Dental bills are not easy to discuss, because they’re just a headache on another level!
Choosing the best mouthguard for basketball could see you through plenty of matches, wins, or losses, but with all your teeth intact. But how do you choose the best mouthguard? The first step would be to familiarize yourself with available products and what they have to offer.
We have looked at some of the top products in the market and the features they have. Each product is unique in its own way, and as I like to say, is its “own winner.” There are, nonetheless, things that you can keep in check to have a smoother shopping experience and increase your chances of landing on a satisfactory product.
Yes, you’d want a product that will not give you a hard time, feel like a waste of time and money, or fail to deliver on what it claims it can. We all have expectations, and with a desired/preferred product in mind, I’d understand yours too. Why then, don’t we have a look at some of the factors to watch out for?
Fit
How well does the mouthguard fit, and how important is this to you? First, since you’re out to protect your mouth, generally, your teeth and gums, a fitting mouthguard would come quite handy. An excellent fit will ensure that it doesn’t come off, and that at no point will your teeth be grazed by the protector.
If it’s loose, then you may face a few undesirable challenges. One is that it may fall off. Imagine dribbling, and while at it, your mouthguard comes off. This could affect the rhythm of the match, affect maneuverability, and overall performance. What is worse and could happen, however, is a dental injury.
You may never see that elbow or robust blow flying your way with your mouthguard off its place. You could face the risk of losing a few valuable teeth, and either spend more on getting them checked, or fixing what may not be easily corrected.
It is recommended that you choose a mouthguard that fits perfectly to your mouth and gums, and doesn’t fall off. Most products come with size recommendations. You can also have a look at what other users have felt or said about the sizing; be sure to get it right.
Quality
It is probably an obvious thing to you that any product deserves high quality. You wouldn’t want to spend your hard-earned money on anything substandard or low in quality. In regards to your dental health, it is highly advisable that you get only products whose quality you can trust and rely on.
The “why” in this case should be simple. Poor quality mouthguards could send your teeth flying off with them or leave you with aching and/or bleeding gums. Other unfortunate things could happen due to a poor choice in quality, something that you wouldn’t want to happen when you’re in the middle of a match.
What makes a product good or poor in quality? Many things come into play when determining a product’s quality, and one would be the material(s) used in its manufacture. Tough and high-end materials will definitely deliver almost the same and expected results.
Weaker and low-standard materials, on the other hand, or what you may regard as “simple,” could deliver just that—simplicity. Is it what you’re looking for? Well, why don’t you imagine how you’d want the next match to go? That could help with shedding light on the things that just cannot work for you.
Frame
We looked at some of the top products in the market, and they all had something interesting for you. You must have, however, noticed or will, in the course of your shopping, that your mouthguard’s frame size is an important determinant to its comfort. Why, and how can you choose the right size for you?
A mouthguard’s frame could first affect its comfort. Bulky frames can get quite uncomfortable. You may find them to be less easy to breathe with, and talking could even get harder. You’d want a frame that fits perfectly to your teeth and mouth, leaving your natural processes feeling as normal as they can be.
Size, however, is not the only determinant when looking at a mouthguard’s frame. You may also want to consider its sturdiness. Strong frames will deliver stronger effects and could take hard blows. If it is not comfortable enough, however, then you could end up injuring yourself more instead of protecting.
A fitting frame is not always guaranteed. You may want to have a look at what each product offers, and what will work for you in that case. It’s also a good idea to check out what other people have to say about the same; that could point you in the right direction.
Thickness
Close to the frame is a mouthguard’s thickness. The thicker the mouthguard, the better the protection. You can think of this as a cushion. A thick cushion can take more beating than a thin one. So, depending on the intensity of expected injuries, there are ways to get the thickness right.
One of the ways is by going back to why you’re looking for a mouthguard. You probably need it for basketball, and in that case, do not expect much rough activity, unless otherwise. Other games like Jiu-Jitsu are on the more vigorous ends, and may indeed require something pretty thick.
For basketball, communication, movement, and breathing are just as important as protecting your teeth. So, it would be a better idea to go for a mouthguard thin enough to allow easy communication and breathing. I used “thin enough” intentionally because a mouthguard too thin could still land a few impact-blows on your gums.
A few more factors that are worth considering are as follows:
Affordability
Consider a mouthguard to be a worthy investment. Once you have it right, you may not have to worry about constant bills to the dentist, or replacing poor quality with something more superior and reliable. On the other hand, it wouldn’t make much sense to go for a product that you can’t afford.
Flavor
If you have kids that could do with mouthguards for sporting or any other purpose, then a flavored piece may smooth more easily into their mouths. Flavored mouthguards, however, are not just meant for the little ones—adults can make good use of them too!
Multi-sport
A mouthguard that can be used in more than one sport is, undeniably, more favorable. If you like to indulge in more than just basketball, then a multi-sport piece could serve you just right! Some models can be used in baseball, hockey, soccer, and even rugby.
What you’re looking for could be just before your eyes, you may just have to understand a few things that should make your selection easier. I hope that you’ll make the right choice to stay protected in your next match and that you enjoy it!
Conclusion & What is the Best Basketball Mouthpiece
If you enjoy playing basketball, then it’s a good idea that you always stay safe, besides having fun and winning games. Keep your mouth guarded whenever you can to avoid hefty bills to the dentist, which come inevitably with injuries.
Choosing the best mouthguard for basketball may not be an easy thing. With the available brands all trying to offer the best they can, it gets confusing settling on one particular brand. In this article, however, we have looked at some of the available options and the features that distinguish them.
I would, nonetheless, recommend that you get the Impact Custom Mouthguard. It offers great quality, which should last you for a good time. Being multi-sport, you can use it for other games that you may indulge yourself in. You should find this piece to be a 100% perfect fit for your teeth, so no worries with sizing.
Upon purchase of the Impact mouthguard, you should receive an impression kit. With it, you’ll be able to make your teeth’s impression at the comfort of your home. You shouldn’t find this process to be complicated, but should you face any challenges, the added YouTube instructional will ease things.
Satisfied with your impressions, you can, with the prepaid postage label on the mouthguard, send it back for preparation, which typically takes eight days. This custom-made piece by Impact provides a good fit, making breathing easy and natural. You should also find it easy to drink water comfortably.
It is also affordable, and there is no reason why you shouldn’t get this product. Get the Impact Mouth Guard today!