The combination of soft (violet) and hard (white) plastic makes this mouthguard both cheap and effective. | Graphic: N. Nasrollahzadeh et al. (2025)

In Swiss boxing, wearing a mouthguard is obligatory. It’s also strongly recommended for many other contact sports. But off-the-shelf mouthguards are uncomfortable, while custom-made products are expensive. Using scans and 3D-printing, EFPL and the Lausanne University Hospital CHUV have now developed a mouthguard that fits perfectly, is cheap to make and combines soft and hard plastic. The front, removable hard component can be replaced if it’s damaged, or simply swapped to adapt it to a different sport.

N. Nasrollahzadeh et al.: A new approach to the design and fabrication of customized multi-material mouthguards to maximize athletes’ safety and comfort. Journal of Manufacturing Processes (2025)

CC BY-NC-ND