Under Armour Armourbite: Custom-molded athletic mouthwear designed to enhance performance and protect against injury
Intended for use by athletes at any level, from weekend warriors to professionals, Under Armour ArmourBite Mouthwear is designed to increase strength and endurance, speed reaction time, and reduce athletic stress and impact.
A retail version of Under Armour ArmourBite Mouthwear is available over-the-counter for boil-and-bite adjustment by the athlete.
Professionally dispensed Under Armour ArmourBite Mouthwear, available exclusively through Patterson Dental and offered to patients only through authorized provider dentists, is custom-fit via impression-taking in the practice and lab-fabricated. The professionally-dispensed Under Armour ArmourBite Mouthpiece and Mouthguard can be offered by the practice as an innovative value-added service.
More than protection
Like traditional athletic mouthguards, Under Armour ArmourBite provides protection for dentition and against impact injuries. Unlike traditional mouthguards, Under Armour ArmourBite mouthwear was developed to also enhance performance. The concept has a long history dating back to ancient cultures (Greek, Roman, and Viking), where athletes are documented to have bit down on leather to gain an edge during competition and even warfare. Although these warriors of the past may not have been aware of why this worked, the idea is based on managing the body's natural instinct to clench the jaw as part of the fight or flight reaction. Clenching compresses the temporomandibular joint, triggering the release of excess amounts of hormones like cortisol, which can lead to stress, fatigue, and distraction.1
Physical benefits Under Armour ArmourBite incorporates proprietary components that are said to allow more rigorous training and better performance in several ways:
- Increase strength, endurance, and reaction time.
- Open airways minimize lactic acid buildup
- Clinical trials have demonstrated improved reaction times to auditory and visual signals.
- Reduced athletic stress by lowering cortisol production.
Contact or Non-Contact
Both the Under Armour ArmourBite Mouthpiece and the Under Armour ArmourBite Mouthguard incorporate proprietary PowerWedges for the posterior biting surfaces. The PowerWedges maintain optimal spacing between the upper and lower jaw at the molars, thus counteracting the negative effects of clenching. For use during full- and limited-contact sports (including hockey, martial arts, basketball, soccer, cycling, skiing, and more) the Under Armour Armour- Bite Mouthguard is worn on the upper arch to provide exceptional protection and comfort. Designed for non-contact sports (including golf, running, swimming, tennis, and more), the custom-molded Under Armour ArmourBite Mouthpiece is a mandibular appliance for optimal fit and comfort.
Convenient
In 2010, Under Armour ArmourBite mouthwear was evaluated as part of Dental Product Shopper's peer-to-peer product rating program. Earning the status of "Recommended," Under Armour ArmourBite received a total rating of 4.2 out of a possible 5 overall. Specifically, the average ratings for both ease of fabrication and ease of use were 4.6.
Medium- to heavy-body vinyl polysiloxane impression material is recommended for the impression, and a fast-set VPS (as opposed to wax) is suggested for the bite registration. Additionally, the impressions do not need to capture third molars, and no bite setting is required, further simplifying the chairside procedure. Patients can be reappointed to receive the custom-fit mouthwear within 10 to 14 days of impression taking.
Of the 12 evaluators, 10 said they would recommend Under Armour ArmourBite to colleagues, and 11 said they would purchase it in the future.
Practice Builder
Since 2009, Patterson Dental has been the exclusive distributor of the Under Armour ArmourBite mouthwear line to dentists. For getting a practice started to become an authorized Under- Armour ArmourBite provider, Patterson Dental offers the UnderAmour Custom Performance Mouthwear Launch Kit that includes product samples, educational materials for dental teams and consumers, prescription forms and fitting instructions. Providing Under Armour Armour- Bite mouthwear as part of the practice's comprehensive services gives patients the same custom fit that professional athletes receive. Patients can personalize the look of the mouthwear by choosing the color of the main portion along with the color of the logo decal and power wedges. At no additional cost, patients can also add a name badge with their name and/or number. Mouthpieces are clear, but allow patient choice of power wedge color.
Perhaps most importantly, the practice is branded as an official provider of custom Under Armour ArmourBite mouthwear, with comprehensive marketing support from Patterson that includes an array of ready-to-use patient materials and listing as an authorized provider on armourbite.com. Providing custom Under Armour ArmourBite mouthwear is a simple, effective, and profitable way to enhance the practice's connection with patients and the community by leveraging the popular UnderArmour brand.
1. Luger A, Deuster PA, Kyle SB, et al. Acute hypothalamicpituitary- adrenal responses to the stress of treadmill exercise: physiological adaptations to physical training. N Engl J Med. 1987;316:1309-1316.