Sports & Braces
At Elara Orthodonticswe are committed to provide highest quality of dental care to our patients. We employ some of the nation's top doctors and dental specialists in our state of art office located on Richmond .
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Preventing Lost Brackets and Wires with Sports & Braces
There are many common questions that patients have when it comes to living with braces and some of the questions revolve around the idea of sports and braces. Sports are a part of life for many people, particularly children, and given the median age at which people get braces, the idea of sports while braces are in place is a popular topic of discussion. The answer to the first question is, yes, a child is still allowed to play sports with braces; however, there are a few important topics to consider.
Trauma to the Mouth can Damage Braces: Sports and Braces
While the brackets have been bonded with cement and the wires are held in place with bands, this doesn’t make them invincible. Any trauma directly to the mouth, regardless of the timing, has the potential to knock brackets loose, damage the wires, and knock out teeth. Given the investment that parents have made in braces, this is something that people should avoid. Obviously, some sports have more contact in them than others and, therefore, some sports are at greater risk of having this happen than others. With this in mind, kids playing contact sports should take measures to protect their mouth.
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BOOK APPOINTMENTMouth Guards are Key
If a child is going to continue to play contact sports with braces in place, they should invest in a mouth guard to protect their braces. There are many different mouth guards that range from over the counter mouth guards to those that are meant to fit braces specifically. Sometimes, dental insurance could cover the cost of mouth guards for kids with braces. Parents should check with their insurance provider to see what mouth guards are covered and which aren’t. Custom-fit mouth guards provide the best protection; however, they are also the most expensive.
Protect the Braces During Sports
When it comes to sports and braces, preventative care is better than dealing with an acute problem at all. Some kids and parents may just try to use extra caution while playing sports; however, it is always better to take preventative measures, such as using a mouth guard, than to have to bring the patient in for an emergency visit because a bracket was knocked off playing football. Therefore, patients should make sure that they schedule an appointment with their oral healthcare professional to get their questions answered. It is important to protect braces while playing sports.
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