In MMA mouthguards are an essential piece of protective equipment. But what makes a good mouthguard for MMA? Something that works in boxing might not work for you. In mixed martial arts, damage can come from many sources, including kicks or falling damage, and you have to account for this when choosing a mouthpiece. With this in mind, we’ve reviewed some of the most popular products, and narrowed it down to a list of our top 5.
Our Top 5 best MMA Mouthguards
The best performers in our review are Venum, TapouT and Shock Doctor. Here’s more information on choosing the right mouth guard for you, along with a detailed review for each product we chose.
2018 update:After re-reviewing and testing a number of new mouthguards on the market, we found the Everlast Evershield to be a better choice than our previous #5 spot, the Sanabul Premium Mouthguard, and also discovered some new good things about the Shock Doctor “Gel Max”. We’ve updated this review accordingly.
Thickness and density
The best mouthguard for MMA is a thick one. Upon impact, every millimeter of your mouthpiece counts. The material acts as a “bumper” between upper and lower teeth – and not just the teeth, but also between the jaw and the base of the skull. The thicker the bumper, the more force it will be able to absorb. With this in mind, we rated our top 5 models for their thickness, density, and impact absorption.
Easy breathing
A mouthguard that obstructs breathing can have a huge impact on a fighters performance. Mixed martial arts can get incredibly physically demanding, and you won’t get far if you gas out after a few minutes. We put an emphasis on comfort when choosing our top 5 models.
Single-bites or double-bites?
Although this has been the cause of many heated arguments, the truth is – both are fine for MMA. Double-bites offer additional protection by covering the lower teeth, but direct damage to the lower teeth is rare, even in MMA. Most fighters prefer single-bites; they allow easier speaking and breathing, are much more comfortable than double-bites, and provide the same amount of resistance to most types of damage.
1. Venum Challenger
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The Venum “Challenger” was made in collaboration with professional UFC fighters, like Wanderlei Silva and Lyoto Machida. It’s has a dense frame and is fairly thick, which is exactly how a mouthguard for MMA needs to be. Multiple layers offer extra protection, and the inner gel lining makes it easier to mold. The additional breathing channel is noticeable, and we found breathing slightly easier with the “Challenger” than with your run-of-the-mill mouthpiece. It comes with a protective sanitary case.
2. TapouT Adult Mouthguard
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The ugly truth about mouthguards is – the better the protection, the more uncomfortable it will feel. TapouT has managed to reach a compromise – this mouthguard is dense and thick, but most of the bulk seems to be concentrated around the teeth. We found it to be much more comfortable than it’s competitors, while providing the same amount of protection. Every pack includes two pieces, and comes with a $30.000 dental warranty. It can be worn over braces just as comfortably, which is a huge plus.
3. Shock Doctor Gel Max
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We really wanted to rank the “Gel Max” higher – it has an impressive number of features for more comfort, and it’s entire design is focused on providing a good fit. We would, if we weren’t reviewing mouthguards for MMA. Although it’s comfortable and fits well on most teeth, the “Gel Max” doesn’t seem to have the solid structure of it’s competitors. Still, it’s dense enough to provide solid protection against punches, throws and kicks. If you value comfort and want a good fit more than anything else, we highly recommend this product.
4. Brain Pad 3XS Mouthguard
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This is to mouthguards what a set of armor is to clothing. It’s triple-laminated, thick frame is additionally reinforced with a front bumper, and the whole thing wraps around the lower teeth to keep the jaw more secure. While it will visibly hinder speech, the air channel is wide and we found breathing to be easy, even during sparring. It’s a good fit for most teeth as well, although you might have to clip the ends if you have a small jaw.
5. Everlast Evershield Mouthguard
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A solid choice for any martial art – not just MMA. The Evershield mouthguard has the right amount of density and thickness, and is surprisingly comfortable for a double-bite – this mouthguard can be boiled to ensure a custom fit. Similarly to the BrainPad, it also features a center breathing channel which allows decent airflow.
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