Reminder! Mouth guards are important!

April is National Facial Protection Month and we urge all athletes to protect their teeth whether wearing braces or not. The National Youth Sports Safety Foundation indicates more than 5,000,000 teeth are knocked out each year in organized sports or other activities.

Our Practice will provide you with a special orthodontic mouth guard while braces are in place. This type covers the braces on top and bottom to protect the lips and cheeks as well as the braces and teeth. It is more loose fitting than a regular mouth guard because the teeth are constantly moving and a form-fitted mouth guard would prevent tooth movement or would not fit from day to day unless re-made. You are much less likely to lose a tooth while in braces because they are wired together but they can still be fractured or the lips and cheeks can be lacerated by the braces or impaled on them.

Once your braces have been removed, you should ask us or your dentist for a custom mouth guard which not only protects your teeth and jaws but serves as a retainer to hold the teeth in the proper position. Then remember to wear it for all contact sports, including those played in the playground or backyard. One quick blow to the mouth can spoil a smile and a few years of braces.