"Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." -Mike Tyson
(Montgomery County, PA)- Many parents ask whether their child in braces or Invisalign needs to wear a mouthguard while playing sports. Below are some guidelines to help you ensure your child's teeth are protected while playing sports.
Advantages of Mouthguards
- Cushion any forceful contact to the face, lips, or jaws to prevent injury
- Prevent teeth from being chipped, broken, or injured when heavy contact is sustained
- Evenly distribute force when contact is sustained to the mouth, lips, or teeth
Types of Mouthguards
- Custom Fit Mouthguards (the cream of the crop, best fitting and performing, made by your dentist or orthodontist)
- Orthodontic Mouthguards (designed to fit around braces, expanders, and other orthodontic appliances and to give teeth the freedom to move while still providing great protection)
- Boil and Bite Mouthguards (DIY at-home customization, gets the job done but may not fit as well and will be more bulky when compared to a custom fit mouthguard)
When should my child wear a mouthguard?
- Any sport or activity where forceful contact to the face could be sustained
- More obvious sports are: football, hockey, lacrosse, field hockey, boxing, martial arts
- Less obvious sports where facial injuries can occur but mouthguard wear is typically inconsistent and/or not required to be worn amongst players are: basketball, soccer, baseball, softball. In my practice, I have seen the highest amount of significant dental trauma stemming from basketball in instances where a mouthguard was not being worn
- If there is any chance for contact to the face or teeth, then a mouthguard = your best friend
If you have any questions about mouth protection or prevention of trauma while playing sports, please feel free to email me at info@dco-ortho.com. We are committed to helping you! I hope you found this short article helpful!
