7 Best MMA Mouthguards: All You Need to Know
In this guide you we will cover the best MMA mouthguards on the market, including the pros and cons of each.
In this page, we will cover everything that you need to know to be well informed about mouthguards, in order to make an informed purchase.
Table of Contents
- Impact Custom Professional
- Venum Challenger
- Shock Doctor Gel Mouthguard
- Shock Doctor Double Mouthguard
- Loudmouth Mouthguard
- SISU Aero
- Under Armour Fit
1. Impact Custom Professional
Best Custom Mouthguard For MMA
Pros: High quality, minimalistic design, custom fit
Cons: Price
A premium high quality mouthguard, with a minimalist feel that is custom fitted to fit your teeth perfectly for maximum protection. At 6 millimeters in thickness, this mouthguard is thick enough to provide you high quality protection, and at the same time not being too bulky, which allows you to communicate clearly as well as having optimum oxygen flow.
The kit includes a 'Super Simple Fit Kit' that is provided to you (with a paid postage label.
What does this mean and how does this work? After ordering your mouthguard, they will send you a kit the next business day and you will be able to make an impression of your teeth in 2 - 3 minutes.
They also include a 3 way paid postage, which means it will be paid for to be shipped to you once you order, then for you to ship it back to them (after making an impression of your teeth on the mouthguard), and once they have custom made your mouthguard the final shipment back to you.
On top of all of this, this mouthguard is BPA free. Why is this important? BPA is a chemical that has been used to make plastics since 1960. BPA can be a concern for potential health issues, and this is something to keep an eye out for when purchasing anything. For all of these reasons, we've rated this as our best mma mouthguard.
2. Venum Challenger
Best Cheap MMA Mouthguard
Pros: Pricing, quality, plug and play mouthguard, color options
Cons: Not a custom mouth piece
As one of the most affordable mouthguards on the market, this venum mouthguard is one of the biggest bargains out there right now. It is made out of a next gel frame for better comfort and adjustability. The high density rubber frame provides better shock absorption to provide maximum protection on your top teeth.
Colors: 12+ color combinations to choose from.
Case: A mouthguard case is included with the mouthguard.
Venum has recently signed an apparel deal with the UFC as well.
You are able to boil and bite this mouthguard. If you're looking for the best mouthguard for mma that is also the most affordable, this may be for you. For all of these reasons, we've rated this as our best cheap mma mouthguard.
3. Shock Doctor Gel Max Mouthguard
Pros: High quality, great protection, 15+ color options
Cons: Smaller sized mouthpiece
As one of the most reputable brands in the mouthguard industry, Shock Doctor has produced another winner. This is one of the best mma mouthguards currently on the market with its gel fit liner technology that provides their mold to fit your gums and teeth.
Heavy duty exoskeletal shock frame provides full professional protection during impacts. Its triple layer design also provides great durability.
The mouthguard allows for great breathability, giving you maximum oxygen intake capacity during your workout, practice, or game.
Colors: Also comes with 15+ color options.
Case: Not included.
If you're looking for the best mma mouthguard with affordable pricing, great durability, high quality and a reputable company, this mouthguard is for you.
4. Shock Doctor Double Braces Mouthguard
Best For Braces
Pros: Perfect fit for braces, high quality, great protection
Cons: Can be bulky for smaller kids/adults
Made for those who wear braces. This mma mouthguard is specifically designed to utilize with braces as it contains an ergonomics design that keeps the upper and lower teeth protected during contact.
As someone who has worn braces and done Martial arts, one of the situations that can occur is your braces damaging the inside of your mouth from contact. This mouthguard fixes that issue through not only its ergonomic design, but protecting the bottom teeth as well.
High quality mma mouthguard made out of medical grade silicone and also contains no sharp edges, which means no random uncomfortable cuts that cheaper mouthguards can cause you.
Colors: Comes in 3 different colors
Warranty: $10,000 Dental warranty
Suitable for kids and adults.
5. Loudmouth Mouthguard
Stand Out From The Crowd
Pros: Unique style that allows you to stand out, great protection, long lasting
Cons: No case
If you're looking to stand out from the crowd, this is for you. This mouthguard was originally made as a football mouthguard, but like most mouthguards they are interchangable within sports. The Loudmouth company brand motto is 'Where Protection Meets Expression'. They are known for having custom mouthguards with custom designs and are extremely popular in 2021.
Made up of 100% medical grade silicone, the colors will not fade, it provides great protection and the design allows for maximum oxygen intake.
Over the lip mouthguards have not yet caught on in the MMA world. Why? I'm not too sure since they provide every protection the other mouthguards do plus protecting the lips.
It is a one size fits all mouthpiece. If you wear braces, you are still able to wear this mouthpiece comfortably.
Colors: 5 Different color combinations
Case: Not included
Warranty: $5,000 Dental warranty
6. SISU Aero
Pros: Lightweight, comfortable, price
Cons: Not easy to mold
This slim and lightweight sisu mouthguard comes with a (warrantied) dental protection. At 1.7 millimeters in thickness, this is one of the best lightweight mouthguards that you can purchase. It slimness allows you to talk, breathe properly and even drink water without having to take it off. One of the unique features of this mouth guard is its design filled with strategic holes (see the image above).
Colors: This mouthguard also comes in 12+ colors.
Case: This mouthguard does not come with a case, but you have the option to add the case to your cart as a bundle.
One of the cons to the sisu mouthguard is it isn't easy to mold your teeth to. If you are someone who wears mouthguards but don't like molding your teeth, and would rather wear it as it is, this mma mouthguard may be a great fit for you.
7. Under Armour Fit Mouthguard
Best For Those On A Budget
Pros: Plug and play, contains all of the basics to get started
Cons: Runs on the smaller side
A 'great plug and play' mouthpiece built by under armour with chew resistant material that wont absorb water and will be better lasting versus deterioration.
You will be able to boil and bite this mouthguard for a custom-like fit.
Warranty: $32,000 dental warranty.
If you are looking for a mma mouthguard that will give you everything that you need to get started, this is a fit for you. If you are an experienced or professional looking for a high quality mouthguard with maximum protection, there are other alternatives in this article for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do Mouthguards Help?
Throughout history mouthguards have been used in contact sports, and most people just put them on since it's required. Have you ever wondered what exactly it protects?
- Protects your teeth: Mouthguards are devices built to protect your teeth, cheeks, gums and even tongue from the potential trauma that can occur during a sports event. These events can occur in many different contact and non contact sports. In contact sports such as Mixed Martial Arts, where you can potentially get hit in the jaw, lip, cheek, teeth, in other sports such as football where you can be hit, to even non contact sports such as biking where you can fall and hit the ground. In these events, mouthguards will not only prevent major damage, it will keep you in the gym being able to train at full capacity.
Mouthguards can also prevent teeth grinding. Whether you do this during the day or at night, there are mouthguards that can help you with this habit. - Dental work: Losing teeth, Chipping teeth & nerve damage. Not wearing a mouthguard can have severe effects that oftentimes will cost at least 10x’s what a mouthguard will. A good mouthguard is a great investment not just for your present health but your future health as well. While you are technically able to train and spar without a mouthguard, chances are the time will come where eventually your luck runs out in terms of staying injury free.
- Keeps you in the gym: When you injure your mouth, tongue, tooth, lip or whatever it may be, on top of having to pay to get dental work done, it can keep you out of the gym for quite some time. There will be a recovery period and a frustration period as it will directly impact your training. A good high quality mma mouthguard will not only protect your mouth, it will protect your training as well. Fighters all over the world use mouthguards for these reasons.
Types of Mouthguards
- Plug and Play: This type of mouthguard you can use right out of the box. You will not need to do anything else besides take it out of the container and wear it. Plug and Play mouthpieces exist for both normal mouthpieces and mouthpieces with lip guard.
- Dentist Custom Mouthpiece Fitted: A dentist molds your teeth and creates a mouthguard with your exact dimensions. Similarly to how Orthodontists create retainers custom molded for your teeth after you are finished with the braces process, you are also able to have a similar process be done for mouthguards. This allows for maximum comfort and ease of speech, and is the safest type of mouthguard. This process is typically more pricey and there are a variety of ways to be completed.
Typically you schedule an appointment with your dentist and have it done at the facility. However, due to covid restrictions some dental facilities are facilitating this through online. Check with your dentist for what will work best for you depending on your location as covid restrictions vary through states.
There are also sites that will send you an at home dental impression kit where you will have to bite on this material that will be molded by your teeth. Then you will ship it back to the company and have a mold made by a local dentist. - Boil and Bite: Thermoplastic mouthguards that are built to be fitted in under a minute. The user will place the mouthguard in hot water, causing the mouthguard to soften enough for the user to be able to insert the mouthguard in their mouth, bite into it (for 10-20 seconds) and leave an imprint of their teeth. Then the mouthguard is put under cold water to reharden. This will give you a custom-like fit for your teeth.
- Youth mouthguards: Are a little different as they are of smaller size. You are still able to get all of the benefits of the normal sized mouthguard such as high quality, high protection and durability despite sacrificing size. Mouthguards can last several years but it is recommended to get a new one every season for maximum protection.
- Over the lip: These are very popular in the football world as not only does it protect the inside of your mouth, but it protects your lips as well. If you are in the MMA world, these will be great for you if you typically just do drill work and no contact sparring.
The reason these over the lip mouthguards were created is due to incidents where a cleat was able to sneak inside the facemask of a player and cause some damage. Another reason for this being so popular is as the majority of players at some point end up playing 7 on 7 football (no pads, usually just flag football or 2 hand touch). In these games, it is easy to get elbowed, and the over the lip mouth guard protects vs that.
Over the lip mouthguards have not yet made their way to the MMA world and it's a confusing topic of why not. In theory, these mouthguards will give you added protection on the lips on top of all of the other protections other mouthguards provide. The only reasoning that makes sense is it has to do with when knockouts occur. In those cases the referee has to ensure that the fighter does not choke on their tongue or 'swallow their tongue' and an over the lip mouthguard will restrict that visibility for the referee. - Custom Mouthguard MMA: There are sites available with already prebuilt custom designs that you are able to choose from. You are able to change colors to your liking along with those custom designs. These designs are located on the outside of the mouthguards where it won't affect you, but you will still be able to stand out.
These designs can range from, grills, flags, skulls, $ bills, pacifier mouthpiece etc. Depending on your sport and passion, you will have a variety of great options to choose from.
There are also sites where you are able to actually customize your football mouthguard. You will be able to upload the picture, choose the mouthguard size, choose the mouthguard protection level (typically thickness, differs from size as you can choose a large size and thin level of thickness). These types of custom mouthguards will be pricier as the seller will have to go through a few additional steps to complete the order. Another aspect to pay attention to is it may take a while longer vs ordering a premade design.
Mouthguard For Braces
The most important aspect when searching for mouthguard for braces is finding one that is able to be custom fitted to the braces, whether through a dentist or they are able to be boiled and fitted for a custom-like fit.
Something to keep in mind is that anyone who wears braces will undoubtedly have their teeth shift positions as they correct to their desired spot.
What does this mean? You will go through different mma mouthguards more often than a regular person without braces.
Teeth will shift throughout the lifecycle of the person having braces. This means you will most likely need several mouthpieces as your teeth adjust/correct. The mouthpiece used 3 months ago will most likely not fit your exact dimensions as your teeth have shifted in 3 months. Some mouthguards can be remolded several times without losing quality.
How To Clean Mouthguards
Stains can occur over time when using a mouthguard. Besides the fact that stains aren’t the best view when looking in a mouthpiece, getting rid of them once they are formed is very difficult. Due to this, you want to get ahead of the curve and clean your mouthguard routinely.
- Rinse the mouthguard
- Use a toothbrush to lightly brush (don’t use toothpaste as it can cause damage)
- Allow mouthguard to dry on a clean surface
- Repeat after use
What Mouthguards Can Not Do
Mouthguards cannot prevent concussions.
What Makes Up the Best Mouthguards?
The best mouthguards will always be high quality, high durability and custom fit. The downside to this is these will inevitably be higher priced, however the saying 'what you pay for is what you get' is very real when it comes to mma mouthguards.
When You Say MMA Mouthguards, What Do You Mean?
These mouthguards can be used for boxing, bjj, tae kwo do, muay thai, kickboxing and wrestling.
Should I Go for a Double or Single Mouthguard?
Double mouthguard provides more protection. However if you're looking for a lightweight mouthguard and/or have trouble with bulkier ones, the single mouthguard may be better for you.
If you’ve made it to this point, this means you are on a mission to be extremely knowledgeable about mouthguards/mouthpieces when purchasing. Hopefully this article gave you insight on what there is out there on the latest market and what features to look for to help you make your decision.
Are All of These Mouthguards on Amazon?
Yes, every mouthguard on this list can be found on Amazon. This allows you rapid shipping (if you have prime it can even be 1 day prime delivery), you are purchasing from a reputable source, and if there are any problems with your delivery or product you will be able to receive immediate customer support.
