If there’s one thing we love at Zombek Orthodontics (besides orthodontics), it’s sports! It’s pretty easy to see when you walk into our office that Dr. Zombek is a big sports fan. We love encouraging our patients who play sports. But we also want to protect their braces, which is why we recommend mouthguards.
Why are mouthguards for braces so important? Mouth guards protect your teeth and braces from impacts and injuries during sports. Without them, you run the risk of not only injuring your mouth but also damaging your braces.
You’ve probably seen athletes wearing mouthguards. In football, players are required to wear them, but in other sports, they are now optional or allowed. We recommend them for any sport or activity that involves flying objects, whether it’s balls, flying discs, or elbows.
A blow to the face can do plenty of damage on its own. A blow to the face when you have metal or ceramic brackets on your teeth can do even more damage, particularly to your lips, cheeks, or tongue.
Such blows can also do damage to your braces. The hit can loosen or dislodge a braces bracket or break an archwire. Damage to your braces can slow your treatment. So can a loose or knocked-out tooth.
A mouthguard provides excellent protection for your teeth and your braces, and it allows you to enjoy your sports with much less worry about damaging your mouth or your braces.
Is it possible to wear a mouthguard with braces? How do you get a mouthguard over all those brackets and wires?
Rest assured, most mouthguards will slide over your braces and protect them just as easily as they protect your teeth. That is, as long as you get the correct type of mouth guard.
A premade mouthguard isn’t ideal because it’s usually designed to fit only the teeth. Forcing it over your braces may damage them. That’s why it’s better to use one of the other types of mouthguards.
There are three main types of mouthguards. While they can all protect your teeth, two of them are better for protecting both your teeth and your braces.
This may be the most common type of mouthguard because it’s relatively inexpensive and easy to find. A boil-and-bite mouthguard can be custom molded to your teeth and braces. They typically fit over the top teeth alone, but the bulk of the mouthguard sits forward enough to protect the lower teeth if you were hit in the face.
The exception would be if you had a severe underbite, where the lower teeth sit forward of the upper teeth. In those cases, you might also have a mouthguard for the lower teeth.
The boil-and-bite is so called because you boil it to soften it, then bite it to mold it around your teeth and braces. Once it has the proper impression of your braces and teeth, place it in cold water and allow it to set.
The good thing about a boil-and-bite mouthguard is that you can boil it and reshape it two or three times on average before you need a new one. This is good for braces patients whose teeth are constantly moving.
Sports teams often use custom-made mouthguards, made by a dentist or orthodontist, to fit your teeth precisely. The good thing about these mouthguards is that they are usually covered by an insurance Health Savings Account (HSA) or a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). (A boil-and-bite may also be eligible if it’s used for protection in athletics.)
A dentist or orthodontist uses digital scans of your teeth to create a customized mouthguard that fits all of the unique nooks and crannies of your teeth. It makes a perfect fit, which affords the best protection for your teeth.
There are a few downsides to professional mouthguards. They take longer to create —usually 2-3 dental visits —because they are custom-made. They are more expensive than boil-and-bite mouthguards, though your HSA or FSA may help cover the cost.
The biggest issue is with tooth movement. A professional mouthguard may fit your teeth and braces perfectly at first, but over time, it will become more ill-fitting as your teeth move. Eventually, you will need to get a new one, which adds to your cost.
Professional mouthguards may be better to get after braces, once your teeth aren’t being moved. At that point, you'll likely get a top-quality mouthguard that may last a long time!
A premade mouthguard, or stock mouthguard, is made to be a standard size and shape. They fit your teeth in general, but they may be more difficult to wear with braces. You could damage your braces if you try to force one into place. That’s why we recommend not using one of these until your braces are off.
You may have heard of nightguards, or you may use one for bruxism (teeth grinding). If so, you’re probably wondering, why can’t I use my nightguard as a mouthguard?
Nightguards look similar to mouthguards, but they tend to be made from a thinner material. They also may not completely cover your teeth or upper jaw. That’s because many are designed more to provide a barrier between the upper and lower teeth than to cover and protect the teeth from front impacts.
A night guard is also designed to move your jaw forward and hold your tongue forward to prevent snoring or sleep apnea. This may make them uncomfortable when you’re playing sports.
While a nightguard is excellent to help prevent bruxism, snoring, and sleep apnea, it’s probably not the best for mouth protection in sports. A sports mouthguard is a better option.
Here are some common questions about mouthguards.
An FSA or HSA may be used to help pay for professionally made or boil-and-bite mouthguards used in athletics, but they may not cover standard guards. Other insurance plans, such as a limited-purpose flex spending account (LPFSA), may not cover them. Check with your insurance for more information.
You can use a soft-bristled toothbrush and toothpaste to clean your mouthguard gently. You can also sanitize it by soaking it for 15-30 minutes in vinegar or in a solution of baking soda and water (do not use hot water, particularly on a boil-and-bite mouthguard).
Unless you get a really inexpensive, off-brand mouthguard, it should not stain your braces. However, if you are concerned, you can get a white or clear mouthguard.
We recommend a mouthguard for any contact sport or one that involves flying objects, such as balls, flying discs, hockey pucks, even flying arms and legs in sports such as wrestling. Any sport that could cause contact with your face should include the use of a mouthguard.
Mouthguards are a great way to safeguard your braces during sports. This will ensure you don’t cut your mouth on braces and don’t lose part of your braces during accidental impacts from bats, balls, lacrosse sticks, or whatever sports equipment might be near you.
If you do have a mouth impact, schedule an appointment with Zombek Orthodontics for a checkup on your teeth and braces. We’ll be happy to take a look and ensure that your braces are intact and still creating your beautiful new smile. And while you’re here, we’d love to hear about your latest awesome play!
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