If you're straightening your smile with braces, you're going to want to protect your teeth from damage while you play the sports you love. That's why our Langley orthodontists believe that there are few pieces of equipment more important than a sports mouthguard when it comes to protecting your teeth and your smile.
Braces & Your Lifestyle
A few lifestyle changes are always necessary when you get braces. No doubt your diet is somewhat different than it was before you started treatment, and you probably need to spend more time brushing and flossing your teeth than you did before! Another area where you should take more care, if you wear braces, is sports and athletics.
Sports & Braces
If you play sports, a sports mouthguard (sports guard) is absolutely essential for helping to protect both your orthodontic appliances, and the inside of your mouth! In fact, whether you wear braces or not, a sports guard is always a good idea if you play contact sports.
People not undergoing orthodontic treatment with braces can help to protect the teeth, cheeks, jaw, and face from serious injury by wearing a sports guard, but these pieces of protective equipment are extra important for people undergoing orthodontic treatment.
Braces can prove to be an additional hazard when playing sports. If you are hit in the mouth while playing sports, braces can break and/or cause lacerations to the soft tissues of your mouth. Broken braces can be expensive to repair and can cause delays in your overall treatment schedule.
Not only that, because teeth become loose as your braces shift them into their correct positions, they can be more easily knocked out due to an impact!
A sports mouthguard can help to keep your teeth where they should be, and protect the inside of your mouth from being cut.
Types of Sports Mouth Guards
While there are inexpensive store bought mouthguards readily available, when it comes to protecting your teeth and mouth, a custom made sports guard from your dentist is your best bet (especially if you have braces!). Custom-made sports guards are moulded to fit your mouth precisely, and provide the best possible protection for your braces and your smile.