Table 1.

Characteristics of the various mouthguard types

Mouthguard type	Advantages	Disadvantages
Stock	Most inexpensive type	Predetermined sizes; cannot be modified to fit (Sigurdsson and Cohenca 2018)
		Fit loosely, must be held in place by clenching (Gawlak et al. 2015)
		Impede speech and breathing (Gawlak et al. 2015)
Mouth-formed (“boil-and-bite”)	Widely available, relatively inexpensive, and tend to fit better than stock MG (Gawlak et al. 2015; Sigurdsson and Cohenca 2018)	Relatively thin over labial and occlusal surfaces (Patrick et al. 2005)
		May inadequately cover posterior teeth (Kuebker et al. 1986)
Custom	Improved fit and thickness	Most expensive type
	More comfortable to wear (Gawlak et al. 2015)	Require attendance with a dental professional for 1–2 appointments