Youth Mouthguard Fit and Size Guide Everything Parents Must KnowYouth Mouthguard Fit and Size Guide Everything Parents Must Know Choosing the Right Youth Mouthguard Size Based on Your Child’s Age and Teeth One of the most critical factors in ensuring your child’s mouthguard provides maximum protection is getting the sizing right. Kids’ mouths grow rapidly, especially once permanent teeth start coming in, so don’t just assume a one-size-fits-all approach will do. Taking the time to consider your child’s age and where they’re at with their tooth development will help you pick the optimal size for injury prevention.
Shock Doctor’s sizing charts make this easy by breaking down their youth mouthguard offerings by age range. Their “toddler” size is recommended for ages 3-5 when kids have a mix of baby and new permanent teeth. The “youth” size fits most kids ages 6-12 as they transition to a full set of adult teeth. For teens ages 13 and up with mature dentition, the “braces” design works well.
Even within those ranges, understanding whether your child has a more petite mouth or larger teeth can help refine things further. Trying different sizes and monitoring for tightness, gaps, and fit over the gum line is key. An ill-fitting mouthguard hampers breathing and speech and won’t provide comprehensive protection.
Shock Doctor’s InstaFit boil-and-bite mouthguards allow easy at-home customization so you can tweak the fit as needed. Their innovative molding process only takes 10 seconds of biting down to create impression indentations matching your child’s unique bite pattern.
Don’t just pick a color and assume it will work! Consult Shock Doctor’s detailed age-based mouthguard sizing guides and take the time to dial in the size that works best for your child’s current dental development stage. A properly fitted mouthguard protects those precious teeth and reduces concussion risk during competitive, collision-heavy youth sports.
Picking the Right Closed vs. Open-Face Mouthguard Design for Your Child’s Sport Once you’ve narrowed down the right size mouthguard for your child, the next key decision is whether a closed-face or open-face design works best for their sport. This often comes down to balancing protection, breathability, and ease of speech.
Closed-face mouthguards like Shock Doctor’s Gel Max offer the most comprehensive protection, fully enclosing the teeth and absorbing intense impacts from all directions. The gel-fit liner cushions blows while keeping the guard securely in place. These provide the best shield against dental injuries and concussions for high-collision sports like football, hockey, lacrosse, and wrestling.
However, some athletes find the closed structure inhibits their breathing and speech during endurance sports. This is where open-face guards like Shock Doctor’s Braces and Bubble gum guards can provide a good alternative. By leaving the front teeth exposed, these allow easier talking and airflow while still protecting back molars.
For sports like basketball, soccer, and boxing that involve running but not as much hardcore body checking, an open-face design may work well. But for maximum protection from concussive blows, fractures, and dental trauma, a closed-face mouthguard like the Gel Max is recommended.
Consider your child’s sport and position to determine if breathability or protection should take priority. Guards with an orthodontic focus like Shock Doctor’s Braces Mouthguard are also ideal for kids with braces or complex dental work that needs accommodating.
Don’t leave your child’s safety up to chance. Consult Shock Doctor’s sizing guides to pick the youth mouthguard model that’s engineered specifically to minimize their injury risks based on age, sport, dental structure and design preference. With the right fit and coverage, you can rest assured their teeth are guarded and head protected.
Shock Doctor’s Innovative InstaFit Technology for Easy DIY Custom Mouthguard Molding Finding the right sized and styled youth mouthguard is only half the battle – you also need a secure customized fit to keep it firmly in place. Shock Doctor’s InstaFit technology makes it easy for parents and kids to DIY mold their mouthguards for a perfect imprint fit.
Rather than having to boil and bite using hot water like old-school mouthguards, Shock Doctor’s guards utilize an innovative cold-form molding process. Simply have your child bite down on the InstaFit impression tray for about 10 seconds with firm pressure. This quickly creates customized indentations matching their bite pattern.
Shock Doctor lab-tests their InstaFit process extensively using advanced dentition mimicking equipment. They’ve refined the thermoplastic formulas to produce a “goldilocks” molding temperature – not too hot or cold. This ensures athlete-tested comfort while still allowing the impressions to set.
The result is a personalized fit specific to your child’s teeth. No more shifting, slipping, or discomfort from generic one-size-fits-all mouthguards. And no need to make special trips to the dentist’s office and pay for custom pro-fits.
Shock Doctor includes clear InstaFit molding instructions with each mouthguard for fool-proof DIY customization at home. Parents can assist younger kids with the process to ensure even pressure. After molding, just trim any excess material using included clippers.
Don’t settle for uncomfortable generic mouthguards that hinder performance. With Shock Doctor’s InstaFit technology, customizing safe, protective mouthguards takes just seconds with no fuss or hassle.
How Shock Doctor Youth Mouthguards Should Fit for Optimal Protection Once you’ve narrowed down the right size mouthguard for your child, the next key decision is whether a closed-face or open-face design works best for their sport. This often comes down to balancing protection, breathability, and ease of speech.
Closed-face mouthguards like Shock Doctor’s Gel Max offer the most comprehensive protection, fully enclosing the teeth and absorbing intense impacts from all directions. The gel-fit liner cushions blows while keeping the guard securely in place. These provide the best shield against dental injuries and concussions for high-collision sports like football, hockey, lacrosse, and wrestling.
However, some athletes find the closed structure inhibits their breathing and speech during endurance sports. This is where open-face guards like Shock Doctor’s Braces and Bubble gum guards can provide a good alternative. By leaving the front teeth exposed, these allow easier talking and airflow while still protecting back molars.
For sports like basketball, soccer, and boxing that involve running but not as much hardcore body checking, an open-face design may work well. But for maximum protection from concussive blows, fractures, and dental trauma, a closed-face mouthguard like the Gel Max is recommended.
Consider your child’s sport and position to determine if breathability or protection should take priority. Guards with an orthodontic focus like Shock Doctor’s Braces Mouthguard are also ideal for kids with braces or complex dental work that needs accommodating.
Don’t leave your child’s safety up to chance. Consult Shock Doctor’s sizing guides to pick the youth mouthguard model that’s engineered specifically to minimize their injury risks based on age, sport, dental structure and design preference. With the right fit and coverage, you can rest assured their teeth are guarded and head protected.
Shock Doctor’s Innovative InstaFit Technology for Easy DIY Custom Mouthguard Molding Finding the right sized and styled youth mouthguard is only half the battle – you also need a secure customized fit to keep it firmly in place. Shock Doctor’s InstaFit technology makes it easy for parents and kids to DIY mold their mouthguards for a perfect imprint fit.
Rather than having to boil and bite using hot water like old-school mouthguards, Shock Doctor’s guards utilize an innovative cold-form molding process. Simply have your child bite down on the InstaFit impression tray for about 10 seconds with firm pressure. This quickly creates customized indentations matching their bite pattern.
Shock Doctor lab-tests their InstaFit process extensively using advanced dentition mimicking equipment. They’ve refined the thermoplastic formulas to produce a “goldilocks” molding temperature – not too hot or cold. This ensures athlete-tested comfort while still allowing the impressions to set.
The result is a personalized fit specific to your child’s teeth. No more shifting, slipping, or discomfort from generic one-size-fits-all mouthguards. And no need to make special trips to the dentist’s office and pay for custom pro-fits.
Shock Doctor includes clear InstaFit molding instructions with each mouthguard for fool-proof DIY customization at home. Parents can assist younger kids with the process to ensure even pressure. After molding, just trim any excess material using included clippers.
Don’t settle for uncomfortable generic mouthguards that hinder performance. With Shock Doctor’s InstaFit technology, customizing safe, protective mouthguards takes just seconds with no fuss or hassle.
How Shock Doctor Youth Mouthguards Should Fit for Optimal Protection