Creating a boxer mouth guard or MMA fighter mouth guard

Boxer mouth guard and MMA mouth guard fabrication is different than a typical mouth guard that we create.

How is a MMA mouth guard or boxer mouth guard different than a traditional mouth guard?

Boxers and MMA mouth guards and are totally different than the athletic mouth guard that is sold in stores, and it is even different than the mouth guards that the majority of dentists and dental laboratories make. It should be different since this is an individual who will be enduring multiple high velocity impacts to the tooth region.

What do you need to make a MMA or boxer mouth guard?

In order to properly fabricate a mouth guard for a boxer or MMA fighter you need to have or utilize special equipment. A dental lab or dental office should have a Dreve , Erkodent or Scheu machine to make these mouth guards. Glidewll is the North American distributor of Erkodent products and is one of the biggest dental appliance manufacturers in the US.

The Erkodent Erkoform 3D

What is the cost of a MMA mouth guard or boxer mouth guard?

The cost will vary significantly but is likely to be around $500-1000. The variance depends on how custom it is, how good it is, and who makes it for you.

What is the dental code for a boxer style mouth guard?

The ADA dental code for a mouth guard is D9941. Insurance does not pay for these so typically the charge is around 3x lab bill, however if you want to know a fee for your area you can check out fair consumer health.

How do we make a MMA mouth guard?

The first step to a high quality guard is a quality impression and a cast made of die stone. The mouth guard will be an EVA multi layer with at least 3 layers of material. The the middle layer will be the hardest layer with a Shore hardness of around 100. It needs to be made on a pressure machine like the Dreve Drufomat, the Great Lakes BioStar, or the Erkodent Erkopress. We happen to use the BioStar in our office but usually do not fabricate the mouth guards ourselves due to time constraints.

The total thickness will be at least 3mm on the occlusal and labial, however 4-6mm is more ideal. It is best to have a balanced occlusal scheme on these and obviously make them on a mounted model. The opposing model needs to be in place to prevent the mouth guard from being too bulky.

Erkodent Erkoform 3D – showing the models in occlusion.

Other resources for professional mouth guard appliances for the MMA fighter or boxer

The Academy of Sports Dentistry is a small organization but they have a heavy focus on these appliances. There is also a really nice discussion on the topic on dt.