Lewiston & Clarkston Student Athletes

Sports Mouthguards in Lewiston, ID

Custom-fit athletic mouthguards for Bengals, Bantams, and every club athlete in the Lewis-Clark Valley, made at our office on Bryden Avenue in Lewiston, including guards built around braces.

Book a Mouthguard Fitting Call (208) 746-2668

937 Bryden Avenue, Lewiston, ID 83501 · Open Mon and Wed–Fri at 7:30 AM

Made From Your ImpressionShaped to your athlete's bite, not a size chart.
Braces-Friendly FitsOrthodontic care happens at the same Lewiston office.
Both Sides of the BridgeAthletes from Lewiston, Clarkston, Asotin, and Lapwai.
7:30 AM AppointmentsFit a visit in before school or practice.
Custom Athletic Mouthguards

A Sports Mouthguard That Fits a Lewiston Student Athlete

Jonny Fisher DDS makes custom sports mouthguards in Lewiston, ID at our office at 937 Bryden Avenue. We take an impression of your athlete's teeth, build a guard shaped to that bite, and fit it in person. A guard that fits stays in during a hit, lets a player breathe and call plays, and actually gets worn.

That last part matters more than any material. Players who skip a mouthguard face 1.6 to 1.9 times the risk of mouth and face injuries, according to research cited by the American Dental Association. The most common reason a player skips one is simple: the guard from the sporting goods aisle is bulky, loose, or makes them gag.

We fit mouthguards for Lewiston High School Bengals, Clarkston Bantams across the river, and the club athletes who fill the valley's youth leagues the rest of the year. Every athlete is different, so if a store-bought guard already fits well and stays in, we will tell you that too. Our general mouthguards page covers the non-sports uses.

Dr. Jonny Fisher and a dental assistant with a patient at Jonny Fisher DDS in Lewiston, ID
Dr. Fisher and his assistant chairside at Jonny Fisher DDS
Rules & Seasons

Which Lewiston and Clarkston Sports Require a Mouthguard?

Idaho and Washington high schools both play under national NFHS rules. Under those rules, a mouthguard is required equipment in these sports:

  • Football, every practice and game
  • Ice hockey
  • Lacrosse
  • Field hockey
  • Wrestling, for athletes who wear braces
  • Recommended for basketball, soccer, and other sports with falls or contact

In the valley, football season is the obvious one. The Battle of the Bridges between Lewiston and Clarkston has been played since 1901, and Friday nights now fill the P1FCU Sports Complex at Lewiston High School and Adams Field in Clarkston. Club seasons keep going after that: the Lewiston Wrestling Club runs its fall season from September through December, LC Ice Arena hosts youth hockey through the Lewis Clark Amateur Hockey Association, and LCV Youth Tackle Football brings younger players into pads.

Good to know for football parents: the old rule requiring a colored mouthguard is gone. Since 2016, NFHS football has allowed clear and white guards alongside colored ones.

Your Options

Types of Sports Mouthguards, Compared Honestly

The American Dental Association describes three kinds of athletic mouthguard. Any of them protects better than nothing, as long as it fits and the athlete actually wears it.

Stock Mouthguards

Ready to wear straight from the package, in small, medium, and large. They are the cheapest option and the hardest to keep in. Many players end up chewing on them or leaving them on the bench, which is where a mouthguard protects nobody.

Boil-and-Bite Mouthguards

Softened in hot water, then shaped by biting down. They fit better than stock guards and work for plenty of athletes. The fit depends on how well the molding goes at the kitchen counter, and they can thin out where a player bites hardest.

Custom-Fitted Mouthguards

Made by a dentist from an impression of the athlete's own teeth. The ADA notes they fit best and also cost the most. The payoff is a guard that stays put, lets a player talk and breathe, and is comfortable enough to wear through a full practice.

Guards for Braces

Athletes in orthodontic treatment need a guard that protects the lips and cheeks from brackets without pushing teeth off course. We plan these around the braces themselves, and some athletes need coverage on the lower teeth as well.

A sports mouthguard is not the same as a night guard for grinding, which is thinner and made for a different job. If your athlete clenches at night too, ask about a nightguard at the same visit.

The Concussion Question

Mouthguards, Concussions, and the Two Laws in the LC Valley

Parents ask us this every season, so here is the straight answer: no mouthguard has been shown to prevent concussions. The American Dental Association calls the research mixed, and the NFHS says it does not support mouthguards reducing concussion risk. A mouthguard protects teeth, lips, tongue, and jaw. What protects a player after a hit to the head is a state concussion law, and the Lewis-Clark Valley has two of them.

Lewiston & Idaho Schools

Idaho Code 33-1625

Covers Idaho middle, junior high, and high school sports, including Lewiston High School and the nearby Lapwai, Kendrick, and Highland programs.

  • Athletes and parents receive concussion information at the start of each sports season.
  • A player with a suspected concussion is removed from play.
  • A qualified health care professional must evaluate and approve the athlete before they return.

Read Idaho Code 33-1625

Clarkston & Washington Schools

The Lystedt Law, RCW 28A.600.190

Washington's 2009 law, described by the University of Washington as the nation's first comprehensive youth concussion law. It covers Clarkston and Asotin school sports.

  • Athletes and parents sign a concussion information sheet every year before practice.
  • A player with a suspected concussion is removed from play.
  • Return requires written clearance from a licensed health care provider trained in concussions.

Read RCW 28A.600.190

The bridge detail no one mentions: the law follows the school, not your home address. A family in Lewiston with one kid at Lewiston High and a cousin playing for Clarkston is living under two sets of return-to-play rules. Club teams are different again, so ask your coach which rules the league follows. We are dentists, not concussion specialists: if your athlete took a hit to the head, see a physician before you see us.

Braces & Growing Teeth

Mouthguards for Young Athletes in Braces in Lewiston, ID

The American Association of Orthodontists strongly recommends a mouthguard for any athlete in braces. A hit to the mouth with brackets in place can cut lips and cheeks fast, and a wrestler in braces is required to wear one under NFHS rules.

Because we provide orthodontics in Lewiston at the same office, the dentist fitting the guard can see where your child's treatment is headed. That keeps the guard from fighting the braces.

Kids and teens also keep changing shape. Permanent teeth come in and jaws grow, so a guard that fit a seventh grader rarely fits a sophomore. Bring the mouthguard to regular checkups at our pediatric dental care in Lewiston and we will check the fit while your child is already in the chair.

Dr. Jonny Fisher talking with a patient in a Jonny Fisher DDS treatment room, where mouthguard fit is checked at routine visits
Fit checks happen at regular visits, while your athlete is already in the chair
How It Works

Getting a Custom Sports Mouthguard in Lewiston

Plan the visit a few weeks before the first practice rather than the night before tryouts. Here is what the process looks like at our Bryden Avenue office.

1

A Quick Exam

We look for cavities, loose teeth, braces, and anything else the guard needs to account for. It pairs well with a regular checkup.

2

The Impression

We take an impression of your athlete's teeth. This is the step that makes the guard theirs instead of a size small.

3

The Fitting

At a follow-up visit, your athlete bites down, talks, and breathes with the guard in. We adjust anything that rubs or pinches.

4

Care Between Games

Rinse it after use, keep it in a vented case, and keep it out of a hot car after a Lewiston summer practice. Heat warps the fit.

Why LC Valley Sports Families Choose Jonny Fisher DDS

A mouthguard is a small piece of equipment. The reasons valley families bring their athletes to our Lewiston office are the same reasons they trust us with everything else.

The Whole Family Under One Roof

Checkups, braces, and the athlete's mouthguard, plus care for parents and grandparents, at one office on Bryden Avenue.

Good With Nervous Kids

Our team is known for helping patients with dental anxiety. Every step is explained before it happens, which helps first-time teens.

Straight Answers

We tell parents what a mouthguard does and what it does not do, including on concussions. No overselling on equipment.

Early Appointments

We open at 7:30 AM on Mondays and Wednesday through Friday, which fits around school, practice, and work schedules.

Your Dentist

Meet Your Lewiston Dentist

Athletes at our Bryden Avenue office are cared for by Dr. Fisher and our team from the first impression through every fit check. You can also meet the full Jonny Fisher DDS team.

Dr. Jonny Fisher, DDS, founder of Jonny Fisher DDS in Lewiston, ID

Dr. Jonny Fisher, DDS

Founder · Jonny Fisher DDS

Dr. Fisher graduated from Brigham Young University and then from the University of the Pacific dental school in 2007, in the top five percent of his class. He completed an Advanced Dental Residency with the U.S. Air Force at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and treated military members at Altus Air Force Base before opening his practice in Pullman in 2010.

The son of an Air Force dentist, he completes dozens of hours of continuing education every year. Read Dr. Fisher's full bio.

Game-Day Injuries

If a Tooth Gets Knocked Out at a Lewiston Game

Mouthguards lower the odds, but injuries still happen. If a permanent tooth comes out, the first half hour counts. The American Association of Endodontists advises getting to a dentist within 30 minutes.

  • Pick it up by the crown, the chewing end. Do not touch the root.
  • Rinse briefly with water only if it is dirty. No scrubbing.
  • Put it back in the socket if you can, or keep it in milk or inside the cheek.
  • Call (208) 746-2668 right away and head for a dentist.

Chipped and cracked teeth are more common than knocked-out ones. Our emergency dentist in Lewiston page covers what to do for each, and our page for Lewiston High School families has more on Bengal sports injuries.

Patient Reviews

What Lewiston Families Say

Google reviews from patients at our Lewiston office on Bryden Avenue. You can read more on our patient reviews page.

Insurance & Payment

Paying for a Sports Mouthguard in Lewiston

We explain the cost of a custom mouthguard and check your coverage before we take the impression. See all of our payment and financing options.

Insurance

Coverage for athletic mouthguards varies, and many plans do not include them. We are a Delta Dental provider, accept most major insurance, and check your benefits first.

Payment

Cash, checks, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover, plus FSA and HSA cards for eligible treatment.

Financing

Monthly payment plans through CareCredit, Sunbit, Cherry, Proceed, and Varidi, handy when a mouthguard lands in the same visit as other care.

Visit Us

Visit Our Lewiston Office

Jonny Fisher DDS · Lewiston
937 Bryden Avenue, Lewiston, ID 83501
(208) 746-2668 · lewiston@jonnyfisherdds.com

Monday7:30 AM–4:30 PM
TuesdayClosed
Wednesday–Friday7:30 AM–4:30 PM
Saturday–SundayClosed

Coming from Clarkston? Cross the Southway Bridge, which becomes Bryden Canyon Road on the Lewiston side and leads into the Lewiston Orchards. We also see athletes and families from Asotin, Lapwai, Kendrick, and Craigmont. Learn more about our Lewiston dental office.

Questions

Sports Mouthguards in Lewiston, ID: Common Questions

Do you make custom sports mouthguards in Lewiston?

Yes. At our office at 937 Bryden Avenue in Lewiston, we take an impression of your athlete's teeth and make a mouthguard shaped to that bite. We fit it at a follow-up visit and adjust any spot that rubs, so it stays in place without clenching.

Does a mouthguard prevent concussions?

No mouthguard has been shown to prevent concussions. The American Dental Association describes the research on mouthguards and concussion as mixed, and the NFHS says the research does not support mouthguards reducing concussion risk. A mouthguard protects the teeth, lips, tongue, and jaw. A suspected concussion needs removal from play and a medical evaluation.

Which high school sports require a mouthguard?

Under NFHS rules, which Idaho and Washington high schools follow, mouthguards are required in football, ice hockey, lacrosse, and field hockey, and in wrestling for athletes who wear braces. Dentists also recommend them for basketball, soccer, and other sports with falls or contact.

Can my child wear a sports mouthguard with braces?

Yes, and the American Association of Orthodontists strongly recommends it. A custom guard can be shaped to fit around brackets and wires. Because we also provide orthodontic care at our Lewiston office, we can plan the guard around your child's treatment.

How often should a student athlete replace a mouthguard?

Replace a mouthguard when it is torn, chewed through, loose, or no longer fits. Teeth and jaws keep changing through the teen years, so a guard that fit last season may not fit this one. Bring it to checkups and we will look at the fit.

Does dental insurance cover a custom sports mouthguard?

Coverage for athletic mouthguards varies by plan, and many plans do not cover them. We are a Delta Dental provider and accept most major insurance, and our Lewiston team checks your benefits and explains your share before we start.

What should I do if a tooth gets knocked out during a game?

Pick the tooth up by the crown, not the root, and rinse it with water only if it is dirty. Put it back in the socket if you can, or keep it in milk or inside the cheek. The American Association of Endodontists advises seeing a dentist within 30 minutes, so call (208) 746-2668 right away.

Which concussion law applies to a Lewiston or Clarkston student athlete?

It depends on the state the school is in. Idaho schools, including Lewiston High School, follow Idaho Code 33-1625. Washington school districts, including Clarkston, follow the Lystedt Law, RCW 28A.600.190, which requires written clearance from a licensed health care provider before a player returns.

Book a Sports Mouthguard Fitting in Lewiston, ID

Bengal, Bantam, wrestler, or hockey player: bring your athlete in before the season gets rough, and we will fit a guard they will actually wear.

Book a Mouthguard Fitting Call (208) 746-2668

937 Bryden Avenue, Lewiston, ID 83501 · Mon and Wed–Fri, 7:30 AM–4:30 PM