Playing sports is a great way to spend your extra time. Sports are an integral part of many people’s social development. Moreover, playing sports is great for maintaining an active lifestyle and a healthy body mass index. When people are scheduled to receive braces, they tend to have questions, and rightfully so. Wearing braces does change your daily life. You will need to conduct oral hygiene a little differently, and become accustomed to wearing fixed oral appliances. Fortunately, wearing braces shouldn’t keep you off the court or the field. In fact, our orthodontics practice encourages patients to live active lifestyles as long as people wear recommended safety gear such as a mouthguard.
Why should I wear a mouthguard with braces?
Frankly, if you play a sport with a high risk of injury, you should wear the appropriate safety gear recommended whether you are wearing braces or not. Without a mouthguard, a person with braces could develop deep facial and soft oral tissue lacerations and knocked out teeth. This is because the edges of braces can be sharp—sharp enough to cut into and scrape soft tissue. Trauma caused by contact or falling could result in knocked out teeth as well.
A mouthguard will fit over your teeth, including over fixed appliances. Mouthguards will help protect teeth and gums as well as protect your investment in orthodontics.
Will a mouthguard from a sporting goods store do?
There are an abundance of mouthguards available at large retailers and sporting goods stores. While some of these mouthguards can be customizable to an extent, they are still made from molds and only available in a few sizes. A custom mouthguard, on the other hand, is made precisely for a patient from impressions taken by our orthodontist. These impressions will help us use computer technology to develop the exact specifications required to protect your teeth and gums without being uncomfortable.
If you have questions about orthodontics, call our practice to schedule an appointment with one of our orthodontists.