A common question we get from our patients is, ‘Do I have to wear a mouthguard?’ and our answer is always the same, Absolutely!!
The next most common question is, ‘How? I have Braces!?’
Well, here are the answers to all the questions you may have when it comes to Mouthguards and orthodontic treatment!
- Yes, you can wear and should be wearing a Mouthguard when you have Braces on.
- No, don’t spend the money on a customised Mouthguard when you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment. It would be a waste of time and money, your teeth are constantly changing throughout your treatment, meaning that your mouthguard wouldn’t fit for very long.
- What Mouthguard is the best then? We recommend the remouldable mouthguard by Elastoplast. This mouthguard is clear and can be remoulded multiple times just by placing it in boiling water. Each time you go to wear it, you simply place it in boiling water before putting it in. This way you are sure to have a great fit every time, no matter how fast your teeth are moving!
- Are you in Invisalign treatment? That’s okay too, we have you sorted. When it comes to Invisalign treatment you need to be wearing your Aligners for 22 hours a day. So, we advise our patients that if they prefer to wear a mouthguard when playing sport, take the length of the game into consideration so you can be sure you’re not without your Aligners for too long.
- Playing sport multiple times a week with Invisalign treatment? That’s okay, the best option, simply continue wearing your Aligners during the game! Your Invisalign clear aligners will work like a mouthguard if you were to have an accident. Your aligners will help protect your teeth from too much trauma and are most definitely better then wearing nothing at all!!
(It’s also a good idea to have an adult help you out when it comes to handling boiling water.)
Have you finished your Orthodontic treatment and are now in the retention stage of treatment?
Now that you have finished your orthodontic treatment and have the smile you worked so hard to achieve, you want to make sure you keep all your teeth!! Now that we have finished moving the teeth it is time to look at investing in a customised mouthguard. A customised mouthguard will be specifically made to fit your smile. A mould is taken by your General Dentist and they then make the mouthguard from the impression taken, you usually get to choose from a range of colours too.