Should I wear a mouthguard while wearing braces? This is a common question at our offices, especially among professional players. The simple answer is yes, you should. While braces protect against external damage to your teeth, their presence in your mouth puts you at higher risk of hurting yourself or your opponent on your lips or inside your cheeks. Our dentists recommend wearing mouthguards while on braces for players participating in contact sports for extra protection against minor injuries.
Two types of mouthguards exist per your preference: custom-fitted, boiled, and bite mouthguards. Custom-fitted mouthguards are molded and fitted by dentists or orthodontists per your teeth's impressions. While the custom-fitted mouthguards are a better option as professionals fit them, they fail to be remolded per newer impressions. Therefore, the patient may need to visit the dentist multiple times, increasing the overall cost of the procedures.
On the contrary, boil and bite mouthguards are available over the counter where patients purchase and do molding independently. Their advantage is their ease when remolding to fit the newer patient's teeth impressions. Depending on the chosen boil and bite, mouthguards ensure you follow the detailed instructions for healthy teeth.
Mouthguards and Risky Sports
If you are participating in high-contact sports, dentists advise having mouthguards fitted for your teeth's safety. Sports such as hockey, rugby, and football tend to produce extreme actions, which increases the risks of tooth loss, chipped teeth, and broken jaws. For starters, hockey involves players carrying graphite sticks and having close contact with their opponents, which exposes players' bodies and especially facial areas at high risk of injuries. Rugby and football involve frequent and speedy running back and forth and throwing and kicking the ball at higher velocities; hence, a mouthguard should be worn with or without braces.
If you intend to know more about mouthguards and when they should be worn, visit our offices. Furthermore, contact us to book an appointment today.
Should I wear a mouthguard while wearing braces? This is a common question at our offices, especially among professional players. The simple answer is yes, you should. While braces protect against external damage to your teeth, their presence in your mouth puts you at higher risk of hurting yourself or your opponent on your lips or inside your cheeks. Our dentists recommend wearing mouthguards while on braces for players participating in contact sports for extra protection against minor injuries.