Considering the fact that a mouthguard is a rather small piece of equipment, it can surely be confusing when it comes to actually buying one that’s comfortable and can protect your teeth at the same time. These oral appliances are used to treat a variety of different problems, such as sleep apnea or bruxism, but they are most well-known for their usability in protecting the teeth of people who practice sports.
For the most part, sports present a risk of injury, and when you end up falling, the shock can cause a lot of teeth damage, but also other oral-related injuries, like biting your tongue or having your gums bleed. While understanding the importance of wearing a mouthguard when you’re practicing sports is crucial, it’s also important for you to know what to look for in a product of this type. Today’s focus falls upon learning what makes a good sports mouthguard, as well as determining if the Siso mouthguard is right for you.
Choosing the Right Sports Mouthguard
Opting for the right mouthguard for the sport you play can be a daunting task, especially since the market is now flooded with all sorts of mouthguards that kind of look similar, but are actually quite different from one another. A mouthguard is a very important accessory to have when you’re practicing sports because it can keep your entire mouth protected in case of an injury. But for the sake of comfort, it’s really important that you know what to pay attention to in order to make sure that you are picking the very best option for your particular situation.
There are three different types of mouthguards for you to choose from:
- Ready-made or stock mouthguards are basically ready-made products that can simply be unboxed and used, although some of them might require making some minor adjustments. For the most part, this type of mouthguard is compatible with braces.
- Boil-and-bite mouthguards are another common option, and they also referred to as mouth-adapted mouthguards. The fitting process for this type of mouthguard is more complicated, but it provides a better fit. These are often the most common choice amongst athletes because they provide a better fit when compared to stock mouthguards, and they are not as expensive as our next category.
- Custom-fit mouthguards are the third option and, by far, the superior one. These are designed specifically for each individual after the dentist takes an impression of your mouth and sends that impression to a laboratory where a custom mouthguard is created. Sadly, a custom-made oral appliance such as this one can cost up to $500.
Aside from the things that you are about to read further on, it’s important for you to know that a sports mouthguard has to be chosen so that it matches the requirements of the sport that you play. For example, you first need to determine if the sport that you practice is a contact or a non-contact one. Fighter, for instance, will require a higher level of protection compared to those who practice a sport like basketball.
If the sport you practice requires wearing a helmet, you might want to look into convertible mouthguards which come with a strap that allow you to secure the oral appliance to the helmet you’re wearing. Lastly, you will also need a mouthguard that’s compatible with braces, in case you’re wearing any. These have special designs that protect the braces, as well as your teeth.
The Comfort Factor
If you think that a mouthguard can be either protective or comfortable, know that it should be both. There are three questions that you need to ask yourself in order to determine if a specific mouthguard is the right option for you:
- Does my mouthguard allow me to speak with ease? When you’re out on the field, communication is of the utmost importance in a lot of different team sports. A mouthguard should be able to allow you to talk freely. If you put the mouthguard in your mouth and discover that you can’t have a normal conversation or that you find it hard to breathe while you’re speaking, then you are not using the right mouthguard.
- Does my mouthguard offer proper protection? A mouthguard should be able to cover all your teeth, except for your back molars. In fact, a properly-sized mouthguard should end between the first and the second molar, and it should also cover part of your gum. If your mouthguard causes you a gag reflex or touches your soft palate too much, then it’s not the right size.
- Does my mouthguard stay in place at all times? You don’t have to clench your teeth in order for the mouthguard to stay in place; it should be able to do so naturally. If a mouthguard moves around or if you can remove it with your tongue, then it’s not a secure fit.
Materials & Certifications
We live in an era where people are looking to buy organic mattresses because they don’t want to risk being exposed to all sorts of chemicals and fire retardants that are all the controversy right now. So, when it comes to an oral appliance, you obviously want the same level of safety when it comes to steering clear of hazardous materials.
Mouthguards that are sold in Europe have to be compliant with the EU regulation and need to be CE certified. These rules don’t apply for all corners of the world (Canada and the US, for instance, do not have any specific requirements in this regard). Mouthguards that have received the CE certification have been both innocuous and impact tested:
- In order to determine if an oral appliance is innocuous, it has to undergo a chemical analysis to make sure that neither of the materials used in the construction will harm the wearer. The role of these tests is to make sure that the chemicals inside such a product, if ingested, are of no toxic hazard to you.
- Impact testing is performed to make sure that the energy absorbed by the mouthguard is actually capable of protecting your teeth in case of an impact. The purpose is to determine the impact-diffusing and the shock absorption of such a product.
Why Sisu?
Every company has a certain philosophy when it comes to the product they manufacture and deliver to their customers. Even if Sisu sells a variety of different products, their philosophy revolves around the idea of creating the very best mouthguards possible. Their work ethic and product development are focused around five main key points that set their mouthguards aside from those of the competition:
- Strength – Because Sisu invented what they like to call the Diffusix technology, they promise to deliver products that are eight times tougher and up to 50 percent stronger compared to other products in the industry.
- Comfort – Regardless of whether you need a mouthguard for sports or sleeping, every product like this one should be designed to be comfortable. The Sisu promise is to always stick within a thickness of 1.6 to a maximum 2.4 mm when it comes to their mouthguards.
- Remoldability – Whenever needed, the Sisu mouthguard can be remolded by simply dipping it in hot water and going through the fitting process again.
- Hygiene – Because of its design, the Sisu mouthguard has been created to stay in place regardless of whether you want to talk, breathe, or drink some water during practice. Since you are not required to take the product off for any of these activities, then you won’t risk getting your mouthguard contaminated the entire time.
- Freedom – The fifth and final point of the Sisu philosophy revolves around the idea that you can actually practice sports with this mouthguard while having the freedom of pretending like it’s not even there.
About the Siso NextGen Aero Mouthguard
The Aero mouthguard is designed to be the company’s best product yet. They advertise it as being the most powerful mouthguard ever built. Looking to minimize the quantity of material used to make such a product while focusing on improving its strength and protection level, makes it safe to say that the manufacturer has designed this oral appliance with the best interest of the sportsman in mind.
If any of you have used the previous version of this mouthguard you might be tempted to think that the NextGen is an identical product. However, this new and improved version increases the protection offered by 32% because it has the capacity to absorb 94% more shock in case of an impact when compared to a standard mouthguard. One of the things that you will greatly appreciate about this product is that it was designed to be less intrusive, even while your teeth are being protected. The perforations on the surface of the product actually do a good job in dissipating shock should you suffer an injury.
Because of its ultra-light design, the mouthguard only measures 1.6 mm, being 50% thinner compared to some of the standard mouthguards that you can find on the market. The product is available in sixteen different colors and it is designed for teens and adults over the age of 11.
What Customers Think
There are an overwhelming number of positive reviews from people that have bought and tried this mouthguard. Plenty of customers have bought this product for their children and are extremely happy with the results. Children who practice sports deserve a quality product that can protect not just their teeth but also their tongue, their gums, and keep them safe from any true damage if they get injured.
A lot of parents exclaimed that their children have been using this product for years on end and can simply not get used to a different kind of mouthguard. One of the aspects that was greatly appreciated by customers is the fact that the mouthguard still gives them the freedom to talk while providing them with comfort and protection.
Another thing that the customers appreciate is the fact that this mouthguard is perfect for those who practice a variety of different sports and that otherwise find it difficult to play with a product that is too bulky. Other things that have been praised by customers are the lightweight, the ease of mobility, and the seamless ordering process.
Adjusting the Mouthguard
Before you buy a mouthguard, it’s important that you know a little bit about the fitting process. When you first unbox your NextGen mouthguard you will notice that it has a flat shape, which is nothing compared to what the end product will look like.
Boil and Bite
This product is kind of like a boil-and-bite mouthguard, but there are slight differences that we are going to go over in the following paragraphs. Your product should come with very clear fitting instructions, but we are also going to give you the know-how so that you can see how well this product is designed because you can make it fit your teeth and your gums so well. Before you actually start fitting your mouthguard, you want to make sure that you wash the surface with a little bit of soap and then rinse it properly.
Where to Start
You want to warm up a bowl of water inside your microwave, but you need to avoid bringing the water to a boiling point. Remove the bowl from the microwave before the water boils and place the mouthguard inside. If you look at it closely, you will notice that it slowly becomes soft and pliable. It usually takes between 30 seconds and a full minute for the mouthguard to have the desired softness.
Caution: Hot!
You can use a fork to lift the mouthguard, but you have to be careful not to allow it to fold on itself because the material will likely glue together. For the next step, you want to stand in front of a mirror and place the mouthguard between your upper and your lower teeth and gently start to bite on the part that is located in the middle of the guard. You will basically have to bite down on the area that doesn’t have any holes in it.
Folding
Once you bite down in the correct location, use your fingers to fold the guard upwards, making sure that you don’t stretch the material in the process. At this point, your goal is to make sure that you are folding the front side of the mouthguard so that it can protect your teeth all the way up to the gumline. After doing that, close your mouth and take a deep breath to make sure that you create suction and that the material hardens.
Properly Fitting
You want to keep the mouthguard in your mouth until the material cools down so that it can harden and maintain its shape. Make sure that you always use your teeth and your tongue to keep the mouthguard in place during the fitting process. When you open your mouth, the guard should be able to protect your teeth while also giving the possibility to talk without any problems.
The mouthguard should never feel too tight nor too loose and you should be able to remove it by using your fingers. In case you don’t manage to see the fitting process all the way through successfully you can always start over I’m soft in your mouth guard once again in order to attempt fitting it wants more.
Conclusion
A mouthguard for sports should be just as important as any other piece of equipment that will keep you protected from injuries. If you would never run off to practice or join a game without a helmet or knee pads, then you shouldn’t have to do so without a mouthguard.
Since the majority of sports do imply a certain degree of injury risk, protecting your teeth becomes essential. It’s not just about avoiding pain, it’s also about avoiding dental bills that can skyrocket and leave you broke. However, choosing a mouthguard for protecting your teeth against sports can be rather intimidating, but not if you understand the basic concepts of what makes such a product good in the first place.
The Sisu NextGen Aero mouthguard is basically an improvement of the now discontinued Aero, looking to bring back the optimal thickness of a mouthguard you can barely feel with an improved design that offers better shock absorption. It can do all that while making sure that you have the freedom to speak, drink water, and catch your breath without ever having the feel the discomfort caused by a bulky oral appliance.