A DECADE OF DEVELOPMENT BEHIND A SIMPLE-LOOKING GUARD

The Shock Doctor military mouthguard wasn’t born from a marketing brief — it came out of a 10-year Department of Defense R&D program focused on mandible protection for soldiers exposed to blast events. Tool was there from day one, translating neurosurgical insights and material science into something a warfighter could actually wear.

A DECADE OF DEVELOPMENT

We worked with Army labs, medical experts, and testing partners to evaluate materials, prototype mouthguards, and model human jaw and face biomechanics. This included custom rigs for blast testing, jaw modeling, and standardized testing platforms like MLSH and Cadex towers. We built and tested dozens of prototypes — not just for form and comfort, but for real-world protection under military-level stress.

Through successive SBIR-funded phases, the project produced more than just a mouthguard. It established a validated methodology for testing impact mitigation, informed both military and consumer designs, and delivered a final product that now serves warfighters and athletes alike. Packaging was treated as an integral extension of the product, not an afterthought. Each concept balanced practical utility with strong brand storytelling. Ventilated storage, rugged carabiners, and modular inserts ensured the product was protected and easy to carry in real-world conditions, reinforcing the themes of readiness and adaptability.

MILITARY PERFORMANCE FOR SPORTS

The resulting IP and designs were licensed to Shock Doctor, a leading brand in sports protection. We worked with them to adapt the product for civilian athletes—translating years of military-grade research into accessible retail packaging and product positioning. The final consumer line delivers real impact mitigation benefits to players in football, hockey, and other high-contact sports—bringing battlefield-level protection to the playing field.