A dental injury during sports can mean months of treatment and thousands of dollars in repair — or worse, permanent tooth loss. Custom-fitted mouthguards from Dental Sedation Ottawa provide up to 60 times more protection than no guard at all, and dramatically outperform store-bought alternatives. At just $150–$300, a professional mouthguard is one of the smartest investments any athlete — or parent of a young athlete — can make.
Every year, more than 5 million teeth are knocked out during sports and recreational activities. Dental injuries account for the single most common type of facial injury in sports — and the vast majority of these injuries are preventable with a properly fitted mouthguard.
The financial impact of dental trauma is staggering. A single knocked-out tooth can cost $10,000–$20,000 or more to replace over a lifetime when you factor in the implant, crown, potential bone grafting, and ongoing maintenance. A broken jaw can mean surgery, wiring, and months of recovery. Even a chipped front tooth requires bonding or a veneer that eventually needs replacement.
Beyond the financial cost, dental injuries affect confidence, eating, speaking, and quality of life — especially for young athletes still developing their adult teeth. A custom mouthguard is a small investment that prevents potentially life-altering damage.
Mouthguards work by distributing the force of impact across a larger area, absorbing shock that would otherwise concentrate on individual teeth. They also protect against jaw fractures by cushioning the lower jaw's impact against the upper jaw, and they reduce the risk of concussion by absorbing some of the force transmitted through the jaw to the skull.
For most patients, a mouthguard fitting is quick and comfortable — just impressions of your teeth and a brief appointment. But for anxious patients or children who struggle with dental impressions, we offer sedation options.
Custom guards are made from precise dental impressions, creating a guard that fits your unique tooth and jaw anatomy exactly. Boil-and-bite guards provide only a rough approximation of your bite, leaving gaps where protection is weakest.
Professional guards maintain consistent, scientifically optimized thickness throughout. Store-bought guards thin out in critical areas when you bite into them, reducing protection exactly where you need it most.
Because custom guards fit precisely, they stay in place without clenching, don't interfere with breathing or speaking, and feel natural to wear. Players who wear comfortable guards actually keep them in — unlike bulky, ill-fitting alternatives.
Custom guards are made from high-quality, laboratory-grade materials that maintain their shape and protective properties over a full season or longer. Store-bought guards degrade much faster.
Studies consistently show that custom-fitted mouthguards reduce dental injury risk by 82–93%, compared to significantly lower protection rates for boil-and-bite alternatives.
We make guards for every sport, age, and orthodontic situation — because protection should never be one-size-fits-all.
A mouthguard should be worn during any sport or activity where there's a risk of contact to the face — including many activities people don't think of as "contact sports."
We take precise digital or physical impressions of your teeth and bite. This takes about 10 minutes and is completely painless. Nitrous oxide is available if needed.
Your impressions are sent to our dental laboratory, where your guard is custom-fabricated using professional-grade materials. You can choose colours, add your team logo, or personalize with your name or number.
You return for a brief fitting where we ensure perfect fit, comfortable bite, and proper protection coverage. We make any minor adjustments on the spot.
Your mouthguard is ready to use immediately. We provide a ventilated carrying case and care instructions. The entire process from impressions to final fitting typically takes 7–10 business days.
A well-maintained custom mouthguard typically lasts 1–2 full sports seasons for adults and one season for growing children and teens (whose mouths change more rapidly).
To maximize the life of your guard: rinse it after every use with cool water, brush it gently with a toothbrush (no toothpaste — it's too abrasive), store it in the ventilated case we provide, keep it away from heat (hot cars, direct sunlight, hot water), and bring it to your regular dental check-ups so we can inspect it for wear.
Replace your guard if it becomes torn, worn through, ill-fitting, or develops a persistent odour despite cleaning. For growing athletes, we recommend having the fit checked at each dental visit and replacing when the fit is no longer snug.
Pick it up by the crown (not the root), rinse gently with milk or saline, and try to place it back in the socket. If you can't replant it, store it in milk. Get to our office or an emergency room within 30 minutes — time is critical for saving the tooth.
Save any fragments in milk. Rinse your mouth with warm water. Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. Contact us immediately for a same-day or next-day appointment.
If you suspect a jaw fracture (severe pain, difficulty opening mouth, misaligned bite), go to the emergency room immediately.
Note: We offer emergency dental appointments for sports injuries — contact us at (613) 482-0501. Sedation options are available for emergency treatment.
Custom mouthguards represent exceptional value when compared to the cost of dental repairs. For comparison: a single knocked-out tooth costs $3,500–$6,000, and a jaw fracture $5,000–$25,000+.
Many dental insurance plans partially cover custom mouthguards as a preventive service.
We provide direct billing to major insurers and accept the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP).
Our patients consistently rate us 5 stars for gentle, anxiety-free care. Read verified patient experiences on Google.
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