What Is a Custom Mouthguard and How Is It Different from a Store-Bought Guard?
A custom mouthguard is a professionally fabricated oral appliance made from precise impressions of your individual teeth. Unlike one-size-fits-all or boil-and-bite guards purchased at a pharmacy or sporting goods store, a custom mouthguard fits your mouth exactly — providing superior protection, better retention, and dramatically more comfortable wear.
Boca Specialty Dental & Braces offers two primary types of custom mouthguards:
Is Custom Mouthguards right for you? Signs, symptoms & candidacy.
Signs You May Need a Night Guard or Sports Guard
- You wake up with jaw soreness, facial pain, or a dull headache — especially around your temples or behind your eyes
- Your partner has heard you grinding or clenching your teeth during sleep
- Your dentist has observed flat, worn tooth surfaces or chipped enamel at a recent exam
- You experience unexplained tooth sensitivity not explained by decay or gum recession
- You have recurring neck, shoulder, or ear pain that may be related to jaw tension
- You've been diagnosed with or suspect TMJ disorder (temporomandibular joint dysfunction)
- You clench your jaw during the day when stressed — nighttime clenching often mirrors daytime habits
- They participate in any contact sport — football, basketball, soccer, wrestling, hockey, lacrosse, boxing, or martial arts
- They play any sport involving balls, sticks, or risk of falls — baseball, softball, gymnastics, skateboarding, cycling
- Their current mouthguard is a boil-and-bite that doesn't fit well, falls out, or they refuse to wear it
- They've had a previous dental injury during athletic activity
Who Is a Good Candidate?
- Adults experiencing bruxism symptoms or TMJ-related discomfort
- Athletes of all ages — from youth sports at Sparks Kids & Braces through adult competitive leagues in Reno and Sparks
- Patients who have been told they need a night guard but haven't followed through with a custom-fitted solution
- Parents looking for reliable sports protection for their children beyond what the pharmacy offers
How to Get a Custom Mouthguard at Boca Specialty Dental & Braces in Reno
Consultation & Assessment
Book a mouthguard appointment at any Boca location in Reno. Your dentist will review your symptoms or athletic needs, examine your teeth, bite, and jaw, and recommend the appropriate type and thickness of guard. For night guards, we also assess for signs of bruxism damage or TMJ involvement.
Digital or Traditional Impressions
We capture precise impressions of your teeth — either digitally or using traditional trays — to create an exact model of your bite. These measurements are what make a custom guard fit only your mouth, not a generic model.
Lab Fabrication
Your impressions are sent to a professional dental laboratory where your mouthguard is fabricated from high-quality, durable materials specified by your dentist. Turnaround is typically 1–2 weeks.
Fitting Appointment
When your guard returns from the lab, you come in for a short fitting appointment. Your dentist will place the guard, check the fit and bite alignment, and make any minor adjustments needed for optimal comfort and function. You'll receive full care instructions.
Ongoing Monitoring
Bring your mouthguard to your regular cleaning and exam appointments so your dentist can monitor its condition and confirm it still fits properly. Guards wear over time and may need replacement every 1–5 years depending on use intensity.
Most custom mouthguards at Boca Specialty Dental & Braces are ready in 1–2 weeks from your impression appointment. Call your nearest Reno location to ask about rush or same-week options.
Why Custom Beats Store-Bought: The Benefits of a Professionally Made Mouthguard
Perfect Fit = Better Protection
A guard that fits precisely over your teeth stays in place, distributes force evenly, and protects more effectively. Ill-fitting guards move during sleep or activity — reducing protection and causing discomfort.
Comfort You'll Actually Wear
Custom guards are thinner, smoother, and far more comfortable than boil-and-bite alternatives. Patients who struggled to tolerate store-bought guards consistently report they don't notice their custom night guard during sleep.
Durable, Long-Lasting Materials
Professional dental lab materials far outlast pharmacy guards. A well-maintained custom night guard typically lasts 3–5 years; a sports guard 1–3 seasons depending on use.
Prevents Expensive Damage
One cracked tooth, root canal, or crown can cost $1,000–$3,000+. A custom mouthguard is a fraction of that cost and can prevent years of grinding damage or a single traumatic sports injury from becoming a major dental restoration.
Clinician-Supervised Fit
Your dentist verifies the guard fits properly and doesn't create bite problems. Improperly fitting guards — especially thick boil-and-bite types — can worsen jaw symptoms. A custom guard is prescribed and checked by a professional.
Why Reno Patients Choose Boca Dental & Braces for Custom Mouthguards
What sets us apart
- Custom mouthguards available at all 3 Reno-area locations — Moana (South Reno), Sparks–McCarran, and Sparks Kids & Braces
- Sports guards for kids and teens available at our Sparks Kids & Braces clinic — our team understands the specific needs of young athletes in the Reno-Sparks recreational and competitive leagues
- Evening and Saturday appointments so parents don't have to take time off work or pull kids from school
- Most PPO dental insurance plans accepted; night guards are often covered under restorative or TMJ benefits — we verify before treatment so you know your out-of-pocket cost upfront
- Flexible financing available through CareCredit, Sunbit, and Alphaeon for uninsured patients or larger treatment plans
- Bilingual staff — hablamos español — at multiple locations
- Dr. Isaiah Abdelmeseeh and Dr. David Montalvo — experienced restorative dentists with deep backgrounds in bite alignment, TMJ, and complex restorative cases
Custom Mouthguards in Reno — Your Questions, Answered
Everything Reno and Sparks patients ask us most about custom mouthguards — tap any question to read the answer.
How Much Do Custom Mouthguards Cost in Reno, NV?
At Boca, cost should never stand between you and the care you need. We accept Nevada Medicaid and many major dental plans, verify your benefits at no charge, and offer flexible financing — so you can move forward with confidence.
Find Custom Mouthguards Near You — 3 Boca Dental & Braces Locations Across Reno
Boca Specialty Dental & Braces provides custom night guards and sports mouthguards at 3 locations across the Reno–Sparks metro area. Athletes, families, and adults dealing with bruxism throughout Reno, Sparks, Spanish Springs, Sun Valley, and surrounding Washoe County communities can access professional mouthguard fitting close to home — with evening and weekend hours and most insurance accepted.
Book Your Custom Mouthguards Appointment
Choose your nearest Boca location and we'll confirm within one business hour. Same-day and next-day appointments available.