Getting a Perfect Fit: Impact Custom Mouthguard Hands-On Review

Last updated on 10.03.2022 by

If the thought of wearing a mouthguard conjures up the mental image of discomfort, bad fit, and difficulty breathing/speaking, then you’re not alone. However, don’t let your experience with a chunky boil-and-bite guard keep you away from training with this great piece of safety gear.

I’m Christopher ‘Jack’ Meehan and I have been training BJJ for 5 years now, and I had the privilege of touring the Impact Mouthguard facilities and trying their custom-fit mouthguard first hand. These are my honest and unfiltered thoughts on the product, as well as a few notes for people who might be interested in buying one as well.

Editorial Disclaimer:

We reached out to Impact to see if we could get a product to review and they were excited about the opportunity to show off their product. Jack, our writer, lives near Impact’s facilities and was able to visit their offices for a personal fitting session.Impact provided us with the mouthguard and its case in exchange for an open and honest review of their product.

Jiu Jitsu Legacy participates in Impact’s affiliate program and receives a portion of each sale which utilizes our promo code, JIUJITSULEGACY. You’ll receive 10% off your order for using the code too!

The Importance of Mouthguards for BJJ

There is some debate within the BJJ community about why we wear mouthguards. Some people believe it is obvious: to protect your teeth! Others argue that it’s actually to prevent concussion.

The evidence for teeth protection is strong: people who wear mouthguards have a 10x reduction in dental injuries. Unfortunately, it seems less clear that mouthguards prevent concussion. However, since repairing a chipped tooth can easily cost as much as $500 without insurance the dental protection alone seems worth it!

Quick Product Overview

Impact Mouthguards provide a custom fit mouthguard service. While most mouthguards are a standard boil-and-bite (a style which Impact also offers), Impact sends you a box with a mold in it. You then use the mold to make an impression of your teeth, and send it back to them. Impact has a professional dental lab where they create a unique mouthguard tailored to your teeth. 

These guards are much more comfortable than traditional mouth guards, and generally much higher quality. They are more comfortable, last significantly longer, and provide more protection. Impact also offers many styles and graphics to customize your mouthguard including flags, words, fangs, and other options. 

Visiting Impact’s Facilities

I was invited to come and see the Impact facilities and have them personally take my impression. Their current office is located in Alpharetta, GA – just north of Atlanta. I was excited to see the awesome new t-shirts and stickers they had just gotten in stock and learn all about the fitting process. 

Visiting Impact Mouthguard Facilities

I met with Jack Rabinovitch, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Impact is actually a family owned and operated business. Also all of their manufacturing is done in the USA and soon they are looking to move their manufacturing to the state of Georgia as well. If you live in the area Impact is more than happy to let you come in for a fitting.

If you’d like personal help fitting your mouthguard, but you live further away; they can also schedule a Zoom meeting with you and have someone walk you through the process via webcam. Not to mention they have many helpful videos on their website to help you with the fitting process. 

While my mouthguard was custom for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, I learned that Impact makes different mouthguards for different sports. Impact also sells mouthguards built for powerlifting, and strongman competitions. These mouthguards are different because they are built to prevent teeth from shattering when powerlifters bite down.

Impact also offers promotions at many sporting events and competitions. Be on the lookout for them next time you go to a big BJJ tournament! They are super friendly and great at explaining the process!

Fitting the Mouthguard

The difference between fitting an Impact mouthguard and a traditional boil-and-bite mouthguard is you aren’t fitting the mouthguard instead you are fitting the mold for your teeth. This is done by mixing together a putty-like substance and putting it into a small frame for your teeth. Then you bite down on the frame and leave it in your mouth for 2 minutes and 30 seconds. 

Fitting the Mouthguard

Once you are done making the impression, you can put it back in the box and send it back to Impact (a return shipping label is included with every order). Impact has their personal dental lab handcraft a mold of your teeth, and then design your custom mouthguard for you! They send it back to you, including an anti-bacterial case that has a spot to write your name and number on it. 

Fitting the Mouthguard

I was able to get my impression done at the Impact facilities, and was surprised by what a quick and easy procedure it was. Creating a mold of my mouth was much easier than trying to fit a hot piece of boiled rubber. I also only needed to bite down one time, as opposed to repeatedly having to reboil a cheaper one bought online. 

Picking up the Mouthguard

When I got the final product I immediately put it in my mouth to see how it fit. This was my first time having a custom mouthguard made and I was shocked at the difference. Not only did it fit like a glove my first time putting it in, but also it stuck to my teeth without any slip. I was very pleased to see it covered my front teeth, and my molars as well. 

Picking up the Mouthguard

I could talk very easily with it in, and there wasn’t a huge bulge on my front lip like there are with some mouthguards. The quality was absolutely better than anything else I had tried before and I felt much safer knowing it covered more of my teeth. While some mouthguards claim to be more comfortable by being thinner, I think this one offers more protection, and is more comfortable. 

Jack told me they frequently hear stories about athletes who feel the mouthguard is so comfortable they forget it’s in. After practice they go through the drive through and don’t realize they still have it in until they are ordering. 

Training BJJ in the Impact Custom Mouthguard

Right after picking up my mouthguard I drove right to a no-gi BJJ class to try it out and see how it felt rolling. The mouthguard was so comfortable I left it in the whole class, including the drilling sessions, and I was able to talk and be understood with it in. The mouthguard also didn’t fall out the whole time I had it, even when we were drilling takedowns or rolling hard. 

Training BJJ in the Impact Custom Mouthguard

I noticed a significant quality bump from other mouthguards I had worn in the past. I also felt that my teeth were fully protected and I wouldn’t have been as worried if I took a foot in the face while passing guard or playing a leg or ankle lock game. 

I also noticed a difference when I took the mouthguard out. My teeth didn’t feel like they were strained at all – a feeling I get sometimes when I use cheaper mouthguards that maybe need to be fitted again. 

Verdict: 10/10 Best Mouthguard I’ve used so far. 

I was incredibly happy with the final product from Impact. I’ve used it at every class since I picked it up and I look forward to getting one with an even more stylish design then the one I have now. I was also happy with the company’s friendly demeanor, and quick customer service. Jack was very polite and friendly, he was also great at explaining how the process works. 

I was told that Jiu Jitsu was Impact’s #1 market for mouthguards last year, and I would recommend their product to anybody who trains, and especially to people who don’t want to wear mouthguards because they’ve found their past mouthguards uncomfortable. The old adage of  “you get what you pay for” really rings true here. 

If you are someone who trains combat sports consistently, an investment in a quality mouthguard is definitely worth your time.
For 10% off of your order of a custom Impact Mouthguard use our referral code JIUJITSULEGACY at checkout! You’ll also be supporting JJL and helping us to continue producing more Jiu Jitsu content!