A sports mouthguard should fit well enough to be worn when it matters

A custom mouthguard appointment checks the teeth, bite, sport type and any dental work before records are taken for a guard.

• Scans or impressions may be used so the guard is made around your teeth, bite and dental work.
• Fit should be reviewed when teeth, braces or dental work change.
• Tell the team if a previous guard was loose or hard to wear.

You can ask how fit will be checked before records are taken.

The first appointment is shaped by your symptoms and the clinical findings. The visit usually focuses on checking the mouth, taking records where suitable and planning a guard that fits the sport and teeth.

• You can describe the concern in your own words, including when it started, what sets it off and any dental care you have had before.
• Your dentist can examine the relevant area, and should explain why a record is recommended.
• You should be told what seems urgent, what can wait and which choices may be available.

Treatment should only proceed after the findings, likely fees and next steps have been explained.

Scans or impressions may be used so the guard is made around your teeth, bite and dental work.

• A guard that feels bulky or loose is less likely to be worn when it matters, so fit is worth discussing.
• Braces, growing teeth and recent dental work can change fit.
• You can ask whether scans or impressions suit your mouth and how they are taken.

Ask what the records are for and whether they change the fee.

It depends on what your dentist finds. Options can include over-the-counter guards, delaying until dental work is stable, orthodontic advice, repair first or no guard for non-contact activity.

• Monitoring or preventive care is sometimes a reasonable first step.
• Another treatment may suit your situation better than the one you first searched for.
• Urgent symptoms can change the order of care, so call first if a tooth has been knocked, loosened or broken during sport, or bleeding and jaw pain followed an impact.

A useful assessment should make the choices clearer, including the choice not to go ahead straight away.

Records, fabrication, sport season timing, dental changes and orthodontic appliances can affect when the guard is made.

• Contact level, training frequency and game timing help guide when a guard should be organised.
• Braces, growing teeth or new dental work can affect when a guard can be made.
• Tell reception your training and competition dates when you book.

The team can explain what timing can be estimated beforehand.

Costs vary because records, material, guard design, replacement timing and health fund rules can affect fees. You should hear the likely cost before treatment begins.

• Item numbers, records, appointment length and how complex the work is can all change the fee.
• Health fund rebates depend on your policy, limits, waiting periods and claiming rules.
• Payment options depend on provider terms, eligibility and approval where relevant.

Ask for the fee and your likely out-of-pocket cost before you decide.

Tell the team which sport you play, how often you train and when your competition dates fall.

• Mention braces, recent dental work, growing teeth and any previous guard that was hard to wear.
• Say so if cost worries, nerves or a difficult past visit might affect the appointment.
• Bring any previous guard you still have.

These details help the team plan timing and records.

Ask the team to go through cleaning and storage with you when you collect the guard.

• Ask how to clean it, which products to avoid and where to keep it between training and matches.
• A guard should be easy enough to wear consistently and clean enough to use safely, so mention any trouble early.
• Book a review if the guard feels loose, your teeth or braces change, or it becomes difficult to clean.

After receiving a mouthguard, fit, cleaning, storage and replacement timing need to be understood so it continues to protect properly.

Call first if a tooth has been knocked, loosened or broken during sport, or bleeding and jaw pain followed an impact. Reception can help you work out how quickly you should be seen.

• Phone for anything involving swelling, fever, trauma, uncontrolled bleeding, severe pain or suspected infection.
• Seek urgent medical advice for trouble breathing or swallowing, significant facial swelling or heavy bleeding after trauma.
• Call if you are unsure whether this is the right appointment.

Online booking suits planned, non-urgent appointments. If symptoms could change the timing, a phone call comes first.

Sometimes, but it should not be assumed before the mouth has been checked. The visit checks the mouth, sport needs, bite and whether scans or impressions are appropriate.

• Braces, recent dental work or changing teeth can affect when the guard is made.
• Sport timing matters, so mention your season dates when you book.
• Fees and consent should be discussed before treatment begins.

Reception can explain what can be estimated before your visit.

The limits depend on why this is being considered. Your dentist should explain what they find, and any risks that apply to your mouth, before you decide.

• The same symptom does not always point to the same treatment.
• Some findings need monitoring, referral, review or a different service.
• Fit should be reviewed when teeth, braces or dental work change.

Ask what is known from the assessment and what cannot be confirmed until treatment or review.

It depends on your policy, item numbers, annual limits and waiting periods. The team can explain how claiming applies to mouthguard item numbers and future replacement guards.

• Bring your health fund card or claiming details so item numbers can be checked before treatment.
• Preferred-provider arrangements, where relevant, still depend on your policy.
• Records, reviews or related treatment may have separate item numbers.

If cost is part of the decision, ask what can be checked before your visit and what depends on the clinical assessment.

Bring the sport, training and competition dates, plus any previous guard you still have. Small details can change how the appointment is planned.

• Mention medicines, allergies and health changes, because they can affect how care is planned.
• Tell the team if dental visits make you nervous, if you gag easily, or if you would like to talk about fees early.
• Bring recent X-rays or treatment notes if another clinic has already looked at the concern.

You do not need a polished explanation. What changed, when it started and what makes it worse is the most useful detail.

Call reception first. Reception can help you decide how quickly a tooth that has been knocked, loosened or broken in sport should be seen.

• The knocked-out tooth page has urgent guidance for a tooth that has come out after trauma.
• The chipped or broken teeth page covers broken edges and sharp tooth concerns.
• Seek urgent medical advice for trouble breathing or swallowing, significant facial swelling or heavy bleeding after trauma.

If a tooth has been injured, call first. The team can also talk through guard planning.