How To Choose A Braces Mouthguard?
What is the best mouthguard for braces?
Braces that cost upwards of $3,000 dollars are a major investment which warrant quality protection in a mouth guard. When you have a mouth guard to protect your investment, players are able to play without worrying about breaking off a bracket or chipping a tooth.
A recent study done by the American Dental Association has proven that by not wearing a mouth guard during contact sports, an athlete will increase his likelihood of teeth damage at a rate of 60 fold. Choosing the right mouth guard is important. With every new season, athletes and parents shop around looking for a mouth guard that will keep them safe.
Here are some aspects to look for when purchasing a brace mouth guard.
Mouthguard Comfort
We recommend choosing a mouth guard that allows athletes to talk, breathe and drink with ease throughout the entire game or practice. Many standard mouth guards intended for use with braces are bulky and can trigger a gag reflex which makes wearing them very uncomfortable.
Furthermore, if you're a parent, getting your athlete to wear a uncomfortable bulky mouthpiece will become a whole new challenge in itself.
Allows movement
A non-moldable braces mouthguard will provide the best protection for a player's teeth and braces. The guard must fit exactly to the shape of their teeth to remain secure and provide protection from every corner and curve of the mouth. Usually, they feature a channel to accomodate and reduce wear on the brace brackets.
Braces create orthodontic alignment by slowly moving your teeth into a perfect smile. Since the teeth will be moving, they need room to move into the desired position. Custom fit mouth guards and mouth guards that are too tight or create pressure against brackets need constant readjustments and can hinder the progress of the ongoing orthodontic treatment. Some guards can actually snap off the brackets by forcing them into a uniform size. For best results, an athlete needs a mouth guard that will not interfere with this movement.
