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Orthodontics and Sports: How to Protect Your Smile on the Field

Posted by Dr. Julie Boudreault On 9-07-2024

Sports are part of a healthy, active, and fun lifestyle. Your overall and oral health benefit from staying fit. However, those wearing orthodontics need to take special care. Some sports can lead to severe facial injuries for patients with traditional braces or clear aligners. In this article, we take a closer look at orthodontics and sports. Can you play sports during your orthodontic treatment? What are the risks? And how can you best protect your smile?

Orthodontics and Sports

Orthodontics, like traditional braces, are inherently vulnerable during sports. Traditional metal braces are durable, but they can break easily in the wrong conditions. If you’re hit in the face during a game, the impact could dislodge the brackets, bend the wires, or otherwise damage the integrity of your braces. Furthermore, traditional braces can worsen the consequences of facial impacts. For instance, broken wires can slice the inside of your mouth. For those wearing Invisalign as part of their orthodontic treatment, it’s also important to be careful. It’s easy to damage your aligners while playing sports. However, it’s also easy to damage your teeth too! Undergoing orthodontics treatment doesn’t have to get in the way of you living a healthy lifestyle. Rather, staying active is an important part of your overall and oral health. That being said, there are risks that you need to be aware of. If you play sports, you also need to take additional steps to care for your teeth and gums during orthodontic treatment.

Understanding the Risks

Playing sports already comes with a risk of injury. However, some sports are worse than others when it comes to causing injuries to the mouth and face. Whether it’s an elbow to the jaw, a ball to the face, or a hockey puck to the mouth, the damage can be severe. If you have braces or other orthodontic appliances, these risks are magnified.

Mouth Lacerations

A direct blow to the face can break the brackets and wires that make up traditional braces. Once broken, these brackets and wires can cause cuts and lacerations in your inner mouth, gums, and lips. Even if a dislodged bracket or wire doesn’t cause an injury, you will still have to visit your orthodontist for repairs.

Tooth Injury

Sports enthusiasts need to take steps to protect their smiles. Many sports carry the risk of injury, particularly if you wear orthodontics. Inadequate protection may result in chipped, broken, or knocked-out teeth, especially for those with braces.

Broken Devices

Sports-related accidents can break your orthodontic device. Retainers, traditional braces, and clear aligners (like Invisalign) are all vulnerable to facial impacts. If you break your orthodontic device, replacing it can be costly and inconvenient and may result in delays in your treatment.

Delayed Treatment

Orthodontic treatments can be long processes, and damaging your orthodontics while playing sports can extend your treatment times. Both traditional braces and Invisalign use subtle amounts of constant pressure to guide teeth into the desired positions. If this pressure ceases because of a broken bracket, wire, or aligner, your teeth will stay where they are. In fact, they may start to drift back into their original position. The longer it takes you to visit your orthodontist, the longer the resulting delays will be. Consequently, you need to take extra care of your orthodontics while playing sports to remain on track with your treatment plan.

High-Risk Sports

Some sports are riskier than others. For example, contact sports are high risk for injuries to the mouth and jaw. It’s best to avoid these types of sports while undergoing orthodontic treatment, particularly with traditional braces.

Examples of High-Risk Sports

• Hockey
• Football
• Rugby
• Basketball
• Wrestling
• Boxing
• Martial arts
• Skateboarding
• Soccer
• Skiing

The Importance of Mouthguards

Mouthguards are essential oral protection for anyone participating in sports. However, sports mouthguards are even more important if you wear an orthodontic device like braces or Invisalign. Custom-fitted mouthguards act as a protective barrier between your teeth and potential impacts. It creates a buffer that helps cushion your teeth and orthodontic device against direct hits, significantly reducing the risk of oral injuries. Although over-the-counter options are available, these fail to offer the same level of protection as custom-made mouthguards. Furthermore, store-bought mouthguards are unlikely to fit over traditional braces. Custom mouthguards are made specifically for you by your dentist. They offer a precise fit for optimal protection, even over metal braces.

Other Protective Measures

• Choose low-impact sports: Swimming, track and field, and cycling are all examples of low-impact sports. Even tennis and gymnastics are fine for those wearing Invisalign aligners. Typically, you won’t encounter an impact traumatic enough to cause serious dental damage. You can wear your Invisalign aligners instead of a sports mouthguard.
• Wear a helmet: Helmets protect your head while shielding your face from impacts that could damage your orthodontic device. For example, always wear a helmet while playing football or hockey.
• Regular check-ups: Regular orthodontic appointments help ensure your device is in good condition and functioning properly. Your Milton orthodontist always monitors your treatment’s progress during these visits.

Invisalign vs. Mouthguards

Both Invisalign aligners and mouthguards fit snugly over your teeth; however, they are not interchangeable. Sports mouthguards are strong and designed to cushion your mouth against impact. Clear aligners, on the other hand, break easily with impact. Consequently, you should remove your Invisalign aligners before engaging in any contact sports. Wear a custom-fitted sports mouthguard instead. It offers superior protection. Do not wear a sports mouthguard over your clear aligners. Remember, you only need to wear your Invisalign aligners for 20–22 hours per day. This means you can remove them during the big game without compromising or delaying your orthodontic treatment. If you need to remove your aligners for more than 2–4 hours per day, speak to your Milton dentist. We can advise you on how to proceed with your orthodontic treatment while playing your sport.

Orthodontic Treatment With Milltown Dental

Milltown Dental offers Invisalign orthodontic treatments to our patients. Dr. Julie Boudreault specializes in straightening teeth using these clear aligners, resulting in a more symmetrical and perfect smile! If you’re curious about Invisalign, or have questions about playing sports during your Invisalign treatment, contact us today. To learn more about orthodontic treatment, call Milltown Dental at (833) 318-3281 or contact us here.

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