The ORB Sport™ Smart Mouthguard — a product of ORB Innovations, which was acquired by Glidewell in 2023 — is a protective oral appliance that tracks physiology and biomechanics. It provides innovative, continuous fitness tracking and a custom fit to ensure athletes can stay in touch with their body and protect their smile. Here’s what you need to know to get started.

A smart mouthguard is an innovative appliance with technology embedded into the device to track key performance and wellness data. 

No, the PlaySafe^® mouthguard is ideal for athletes seeking a custom appliance and is one of the most popular sports protection options of its kind. Available in six levels of protection, the PlaySafe mouthguard ranges from one to three layers of laminated ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) material, with a final occlusal thickness between 3–5 mm. The ORB Sport mouthguard offers protection like a PlaySafe mouthguard but adds revolutionary technology that can track different aspects of a workout or competition.

Along with general metrics, such as step counts, active calories and heart rate, the ORB Sport mouthguard also tracks head impact location regions and intensity, heart rate averages, movement intensity, and distance traveled.

The mouthguard tracks more than 20 metrics and will have more features added in the future. Sensor measurements from multiple activity sessions are stored on the device, which can be viewed and studied on the patient’s phone with a membership to the ORB Sport mobile app. For example, the device can compare heart rates in training versus competitions, the average number of calories burned per session, and more.

ORB Sport is a mouthguard first and foremost. It is fabricated from ERKODENT^® brand EVA plastic materials to ensure high-quality performance — the same material as a PlaySafe mouthguard. The ORB Sport appliance is a custom-fabricated sports mouthguard with a thickness ranging from 3–5 mm.

Both physical and digital impressions are accepted. Visit glidewell.com/send-case for details. Allow for a four-day in-lab turnaround time.

Ideally, the ORB Sport mouthguard will be used by athletes looking to gain a competitive edge or those who simply want to more closely gauge their fitness. It is not recommended, however, for individuals wearing wire braces for orthodontic treatment. It doesn’t have age restrictions, but the longevity of the appliance may be limited in younger athletes still experiencing growth-related tooth movement. Additionally, the mobile app is currently only available on iOS devices — with Android devices slated for future development. Athletes with devices running other operating systems should check app availability prior to purchase.

The mouthguard is durable enough for heavy contact or combat sports, such as football, hockey, boxing, martial arts, lacrosse and more. The mouthguard may be subject to policies or regulations of independent sport governing bodies.

Minor chairside adjustments may be made to the mouthguard, taking care to avoid the electronics. Use caution while trimming and heating because injudicious adjustment will risk damage to electronics and delamination of the mouthguard, voiding the warranty.

If you have completed your in-office visit and your patient has questions (e.g., connecting to the mobile app, troubleshooting electronics, interpreting app metrics), have them call the athlete support line at 866-499-0058. If you or your clinical team have any questions (e.g., seating, adjustments, warranty information), call Glidewell at 800-407-3326.

Please contact Glidewell for our current fee schedule, or log into glidewell.com to view provider-only pricing.

The worlds of preventive dentistry and fitness innovation are constantly evolving. This new, revolutionary oral appliance gives athletes an opportunity to take an inside look at how their body is performing while they play the sports they love.