Vertical Force Protection: Dental Protection for Any Kind of Athlete

While exercising or playing sports, we don’t really think about our mouths, teeth, or jaws. Instead, we’re focused on the exerting task at hand, competitively trying to win or run a new personal record in a 5k or 10k. However, while we’re focusing intently on challenging ourselves physically, our mouths and jaw structures can be unwanted casualties in the process. As we exert our bodies and muscles, we clench our teeth, grinding them against each other, causing teeth and jaw related complications. 

Each year, more than5 million teeth are avulsed in the U.S., the majority occurring because of sports-related injuries. Furthermore, nearly 500 million is spent on replacing these teeth each year, making it a seriously lucrative industry for dental personnel. In total, 13 to 39% of all dental injuries are sports-related, with males being twice as likely as females to make up that percentage.

Thinking outside the box, Damage Control wanted to develop a new kind of solution that was convenient and powerful, yet ergonomic in nature. The result was the VFP.

 We think of mouth guards as being typically reserved for impact sports, like football and rugby. Athletes that choose a more passive route ignore the benefits of mouth guards while exercising. Just as susceptible to teeth and jaw damage, you do just as much grinding on your teeth while running as you do playing lacrosse. Clenching and grinding can also cause headaches and tooth sensitivity, as well as jaw and neck-related discomfort that stick with you days after the sporting event.

There needs to be a solution for every kind of athlete, as well as individuals who are just more prone to teeth grinding.

Vertical Force Protection

Preventing chiseled down teeth, gum recession, periodontal disease, chipped teeth, tooth misalignment, and damage done to previous dental work, Vertical Force Protection (VFP) is the buffer between excellent exercise and unhappy teeth. Sold through a network of dentists, or on Damage Control Mouthguard's website, the VFP kit comes with a self-impression system, so users can mold the guard to fit their specific mouth. Once the impression is fitted, users send it back to the developer, Damage Control, who then scans the impression for 3D printing.

Different from alternative sports mouthguards, VFP is discreet in design and minimal in nature. Buffering only the essential parts of the mouth between grinding phases, it’s virtually impossible to tell if a person is wearing a VFP. Due to its sleekness in nature, it’s a much more comfortable option for athletes that don’t want the massive, bulky boxing mouth guard today.

Thinking outside the box, Damage Control wanted to develop a new kind of solution that was convenient and powerful, yet ergonomic in nature. The result was the VFP.

Through comfort, protection, and customized fabrication, the VFP is designed to stay with you throughout your busy day.

Consider one now: Vertical Force Protection™