How Do Dental Labs Create Mouthguards?

Collaborate with dental labs to create high-quality mouthguards for your patients. Labs hire experienced technicians and have fully-equipped facilities to help dentists fabricate various dental prosthetics, including mouthguards, dentures, and bridges. They fabricate the prosthetics using the impressions and instructions you provide, resulting in custom solutions that work for your patient. Here’s how labs make mouthguards:

Impressions and Instructions

Dental impressions are traditionally taken using putty, which is a moldable material that the patient bites on. You may also have the option of digital scanners through computer-aided design and manufacturing. The impressions capture your patient’s oral structures, including their mouth, teeth, gums, and bite alignment. Once captured, the files are sent to dental labs, where they’re used to create a replica of the patient’s mouth. The replicas or working models provide accurate references for creating the mouthguard. They’re often made from 3D-printed materials or stone, depending on the approach the lab takes.

Consult the lab to help you take accurate impressions. If the lab provides an Rx file, use it to include any necessary instructions about the mouthguard and patient. The Rx will allow you to select information like size, shape, material, color, and more. This customization can provide a better fit for the patient, depending on when they will wear the orthotic.

Design and Fabrication

Labs design and fabricate a mold of the patient’s mouth using the dental impressions and Rx file descriptions you provide. The design is used to fabricate a replica of your patient’s oral structures, providing a reference point for creating the mouthguard. Fabrication may involve traditional methods like pouring plaster into the impression and pressurizing it to create the physical mold. Digital fabrication uses computer-aided design and manufacturing, which provides accurate models depicting all the variations in your patient’s mouth.

Once the mold is ready, labs create the mouthguard over the model. The design process can be manual or digital and involves using pressure to create a custom-fitting mouthguard. Thin sheets of laminated vinyl are cast over the mold, creating a slim, comfortable mouthguard that aligns with the patient’s teeth, gums, and contours. The mouthguard’s thickness is adjusted during the lamination process to achieve a snug fit that doesn’t cause discomfort or gum irritation.

Finishing and Adjustments

A newly formed mouthguard may feature rough edges and excess material that needs trimming and polishing. Labs inspect the mouthguard and smooth out all surfaces to make it more comfortable. The finishing stages can involve adding custom colors and logos, especially for sports mouthguards that feature branding. Labs then perform quality checks for comfort, fit, and thickness. If everything matches what you requested, the mouthguard is disinfected and sent to your office.

The final mouthguard should fit as intended if the impressions and Rx details are accurate. Some patients experience changes in their oral structures between the time you take the impressions and perform the final fitting. Such cases may require post-fabrication adjustments for thickness. Labs can adjust the mouthguard as needed to achieve the right fit. They also test strength and retention to provide quality mouthguards that protect your patients from tooth breakage during high-impact activities or grinding when they sleep.

Work With Reputable Dental Labs Today

Labs fabricate mouthguards and other dental prosthetics with the help of advanced technology and accurate impressions and instructions. Working with a dental lab from the start of the process to the end gives you access to the technician’s material knowledge and expertise. They are able to tailor the mouthguard results to meet your exact specifications. Labs can also fabricate products like dentures, partials, nightguards, and more. Contact a dental lab today to find out more about their solutions and processes.