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The UFC plans to equip fighters with custom 3D printed mouth guards that absorb impacts

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Mouth guards are an important part of an athlete’s equipment kit in many of the world’s tough sports. Full contact fighting is one of the most visible sports where athletes’ faces are in danger of major damage, so the UFC has partnered with the custom mouth guard experts at GuardLab to bring bespoke dental protection to their fighters. Thanks to GuardLab’s custom 3D scanning and printing process, fighters, athletes, and fans can all get perfect-fit protection from bespoke mouth guards.

The GuardLab process starts with bite optimization, so that the entire jaw and top and bottom teeth are aligned in the best way for your mouth in particular. Then a 3D scan is used to design a custom neuromuscular mouth guard that GuardLab creates using a high-resolution 3D printer. The combination of a custom mouth scan and bite optimization enables GuardLab’s proprietary ARC technology, “designed to align and reposition the jaw into an optimal position to cushion impact force while maximizing airflow.” And once the scan is complete and GuardLab creates the digital model, it’s easy for athletes to reorder replacement mouth guards as often as necessary.

UFC partnered with GuardLab to bring fighters custom 3D printed mouthguards
GuardLab
GuardLab
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GuardLab believes their custom fit pieces are a “Mouth guard Revolution”, and UFC certainly has a stake in protecting the long-term wellbeing of its top fighters. At the forefront of this self-titled revolution is an education campaign that will encourage fighters to use mouth guards more often. UFC will offer mouth guards to every athlete attending or competing in official Championship events. And fans will be able to get UFC branded custom mouth guards as part of the partnership with GuardLab.

Amateur fighters, athletes, and fans can also order their own custom mouth guards from GuardLab. Adult guards cost about $250, and under 18 guards cost $150. GuardLab can customize upper and lower mouth guards, and can even 3D print custom night guards that help people who grind their teeth in their sleep or suffer from chronic dental pain. You can design your mouth guard on GuardLab’s website, then use their interactive map to find a 3D scanner location near you. Book an appointment, pop in for the 15-30 minute scanning process, and you could have your custom mouth guard delivered to your door within five business days.

Chloe Olewitz
Chloe Olewitz
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Chloe is a writer from New York with a passion for technology, travel, and playing devil's advocate. You can find out more…
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