Best Mouthguards With A Strap Or Detachable Tether

Best Mouthguards With A Strap Or Detachable Tether

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Best Mouthguards With A Strap Or Detachable Tether

When purchasing a mouthguard, wether it be a custom or store bought (boil-n-bite), you have to make the decision wether or not you want a strap or detachable tether to attach your mouthguard to your helmet. Do you need to communicate on the field? Do you like the fact that if the mouthguard does fall out of your mouth it won't fall on the ground?

Before reading this post check out this article "Should Your Team Be Using Tethered Mouthguards" by SISU Mouthguards. They make some really good points to the negative side of having a strap or tether but I can't say that I agree completely. One obvious issue they talk about, and that I agree with, is how you can't communicate with a strapped mouthguard, but I disagree with SISU's claim that they inhibit your breathing. If the mouthguard has a tight fit to your teeth and can't be easily removed or dislodged with your tongue, your mouthguard will stay in your mouth continuously throughout your game. Also, if the mouthguard has a tight fit, it becomes nearly impossible to chew on it. The tighter the fit, the harder it is to remove from your mouth. SISU also neglected to mention that one of the bad things about a strap or tether is the fact that most athletes are just going to leave the mouthguard attached to their helmet and not take it home to clean it properly. Check out my blog post "6 Ways To Clean Your Mouthguard"

Don't forget, if you like lip protector mouthguards, most of these types of mouthguards come with a strap or removable strap. Check out the blog post "All About Lip Guards"

Some athletes prefer buying strapped mouthguards and then cut off the strap where you just leave enough to grab onto to remove it from your mouth. I guess this is advantageous because you don't put your dirty hands in your mouth when you remove your mouthguard.

If you like this idea make sure you smooth the part of the strap that you cut off. Check out this blog post "How To Properly Trim Your Mouthguard" to get a better understanding and which tools will help you achieve a smooth finish.

If you have braces your choices are more limited. I don't recommend custom mouthguards or boil-n-bite Mouthguards for people who have braces. Check out the Top Mouthguards section for my top rated braces mouthguards and check out the blog post "Top mouthguards For Braces"

Here are my top mouthguards with straps or tethers:

TOP CHOICE

Game On Buy Now

amazon.com

SafeTGard Buy Now

amazon.com

Adams All Sport Buy Now

amazon.com

Oral Mart Buy Now

amazon.com

OPRO Silver Buy Now amazon.com

(Detachable Strap)

Coollo Buy Now amazon.com

(Detachable Strap)

SHIELD Double Density

Buy Now amazon.com

Shock Doctor Gel Max Power

(Detachable Strap) Buy Now

amazon.com

Under Armour Gameday Buy Now

(Detachable Strap) amazon.com

HOW I (The Author) TEST MOUTHGUARDS & WHY I CAN BE TRUSTED

My name is Ken Mitchell. I Have been fabricating custom mouthguards for more than 15 years and have been a dental technician for over 20 years. I also, have owned my own dental laboratory for over 20 years.

Besides having work experience with mouthguards, I know first hand the importance of mouthguards in the sports world. I have played several sports throughout my life at the hight school level, including basketball, football, baseball and beach volleyball. I am also a father to two sons and a daughter who have played Soccer, Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Lacrosse and Baseball ever since they were in the first grade. From time to time I have used my children to test mouthguards to get a first-hand, real-world experience with custom mouthguards and store bought mouthguards.

I search for every mouthguard on the market. Then, I purchase (with my own funds) every mouthguard I review through places like Amazon, eBay or directly from the manufacturer, just like you would, then evaluate every mouthguard based on my expert opinion. I also comb the internet to find other reviews on durability to develop a better understanding of specific mouthguards pros and cons over an extended period of time.

Every mouthguard I review, is fitted and examined by me. The only time a mouthguard is fitted by another person besides me, would be my son, who plays college football. I use him mainly to fit and use mouthguards for weight training and football.

When I review a mouthguard it must pass certain criteria to rank in my top 10.

• FIT- I believe this is the most important factor in evaluating a mouthguard, because without a tight fit, all of the other criteria can be thrown out the window. When wearing a mouthguard you shouldn't have to clench your teeth to stop the mouthguard from falling out. It should fit as tight as possible.

• Comfort- Comfort goes hand in hand with the fit, if the the mouthguard is comfortable you wont get distracted by focusing on your mouthguard, instead you will be focused on the game and perform at your highest level.

• Protection/Tooth Coverage- With advancement in materials, mouthguards that are thick, aren't necessarily more protective than thinner mouthguards. Brands like SISU and Game On, provide thinner mouthguards that are 40-100% stronger than EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) that is used by most mouthguard manufacturers. A proper fitting mouthguard should cover at least your first molars to provide adequate protection. A mouthguard shouldn't extend past your second molar because it could trigger the gag reflex. Also, your mouthguard should cover your gums or the roots of your teeth.

• Sport- Almost every mouthguard on the market is made for use in multiple sports but there are a few mouthguards that are designed for weight training or exercising. I will break down which sport each mouthguard is better for.

• Design- I examine the color variations available and the overall design of the mouthguard, the bells and whistles if you will.

• Fitting process- Most boil-n-bite mouthguards are fitted with the same process, although some fitting processes are more uncomfortable than others.

Remember to always take into consideration that every mouthguard may not suit your specific requirements. Each person is different and everyone's mouth is unique to that person. The Mouthguard Review can only evaluate the initial fit of a mouthguard and only "real world" use can show long term durability and other design flaws.

*The Mouthguard Review has no connection to any mouthguard manufacturer and has no financial incentive to rate any brand over another. All of the reviews are written and performed by one person and are 100% unbiased.

THE MATERIALS AND INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE HAVE BEEN PREPARED OR ASSEMBLED BY THE MOUTHGUARD REVIEW AND ARE INTENDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR ADVICE FROM A LICENSED HEALTH-CAR PROFESSIONAL. YOU SHOULD NOT RELY SOLELY ON THIS CONTENT, AND THE MOUTHGUARD REVIEW ASSUMES NO LIABILITY FOR INACCURACIES. ALWAYS READ LABELS AND DIRECTIONS BEFORE USING A PRODUCT. SOME OF THE INFORMATION MAY BE DATED AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE MOST CURRENT EVENTS. I WROTE THIS ARTICLE MYSELF AND IT EXPRESSES MY OWN OPINIONS.