At Martinez Orthodontics, we're proud to provide quality orthodontic treatment to patients throughout the greater Cincinnati, OH area. Many of our patients – particularly our adolescent orthodontic patients – are also athletes, and we always love to see our patients excelling in sports. But often, patients wonder when they should wear a mouthguard with their braces. If you've had this question yourself, we'd love to provide an answer.
When to Wear a Mouthguard with Braces
To put it simply, we recommend wearing a custom-made mouthguard with your braces anytime you're playing or practicing a sport. During contact sports like football or wrestling, the reasons are obvious – but even in low-contact sports, a mouthguard provides needed protection while wearing braces. While the dental cement that bonds brackets to teeth is strong, it's not invulnerable, and the right impact can easily break a bracket off of a tooth. Furthermore, it only takes one unlucky fall to chip or break teeth, braces, or severely cut the inside of your mouth.
Mouthguards are vital to preventing this kind of damage. A braces mouthguard provides the necessary room to accommodate and cover your braces, cushioning them from the blows that are common in many sports. While over the counter mouthguards are available, they don't provide the same level of protection as a custom-made mouthguard that's manufactured to fit your bite – so for the best protection, we recommend using a custom-made braces mouthguard anytime you're participating in sports.
Contact Your Cincinnati Orthodontist
A high-quality, custom-made mouthguard is the best way to protect your teeth and braces when playing a sport – and if you'd like to get a custom-made mouthguard for yourself or your child, we'd love to help. Call us today at 513-598-9800 to learn more about mouthguards and schedule an appointment for a fitting. We look forward to helping you achieve a beautiful new smile and protect it – both on and off the field!