Do you have a pre-teen or teenager who has or will have braces and plays sports? Are they active in vigorous sports where contact is common?
Protecting the mouth and teeth
Mouthguards can protect your athlete from injury to teeth and the soft tissue in the mouth. They can also lessen inconvenient visits to the orthodontist to fix loose wires and brackets. This post can help you determine if a mouth guard is necessary and what kind of guard will work for you.
“The bigger and faster the athlete equals more energy. More energy creates more trauma” What sports are more susceptible to mouth injuries?
Surprisingly NOT football! Our office sees more injuries and/or broken appliances from baseball, softball, and soccer. Other sports that also have mouth injury potential are lacrosse, basketball, competitive cheerleading, wrestling, hockey, and volleyball.
Are custom made guards better than ones you buy at the store?
Not necessarily. “Boil and Bite” mouth guards can offer the same protection, are more reasonably priced and available at most sporting goods stores and Amazon. Generally, these mouth guards are priced from $10.00 on up. A custom mouthguard can be a great deal more expensive and generally deliver equal safeguard for the mouth.
If my child has braces, will the mouth guard interfere with the work the orthodontist is doing?
The boil and bite guards can be reboiled every month or so to accommodate the movement caused by braces. The key is to NOT bite too deep or hard when fitting the mouth guard. Suck and mold the warm mouth guard to fit over the teeth/braces.
Lastly, mouthguards will help ensure proper oral health for your athlete and should be considered an essential part of your child’s sports equipment.
Dr Callender would be happy to “field” your questions and offers complimentary initial orthodontic consultations.
Contact us to schedule your appointment at our Littleton office 303-973-7771 or Olde Town Arvada location 303-421-1984.
