News

My questions for you are as follows: Does the mouth guard have to be 1 solid color (blue or red or white, etc.) and not a combination of multiple colors on one mouth guard? Some of the new mouth guards we now see are almost like a  baby’s pacifier where the inside of the guard protects the teeth and the outside goes over the upper and lower lip. Then on the outside portion of mouth protector they have teeth stenciled on them or maybe an American Flag or whatever. Is this legal to have or does the new style guard have to be 1 color without any designs.

A:  The rule states:

5. (a) A tooth and mouth protector (intraoral) which shall:

(1) include an occlusal (protecting and separating the biting surfaces) portion;
(2) include a labial (protecting the teeth and supporting structures) portion; and
(3) cover the posterior teeth with adequate thickness.

(b) It is recommended that the protector be properly fitted, protecting the anterior (leading) dental arch and:

(1) constructed from a model made from an impression of the individual’s teeth, or
(2) constructed and fitted to the individual by impressing the teeth into the tooth and mouth protector itself.

NOTE:  #4, #5, and #6 of the 2015 rule was removed.  Color does not matter any longer nor was it ever restricted to one color, just a visible color.  Multi-colored is allowed.

It must cover all of the teeth.  The rule does not address any other requirements or restrict any other designs.