While playing sports is a great way to get your exercise in, it can also lead to orthodontic emergencies which can be painful and costly. Luckily, you can take steps to prevent these emergencies from happening in the first place! One of the best ways to do that is by wearing a customized mouthguard from Riverview Orthodontics whenever you or your child plays contact sports. Our mouthguards are designed to protect your teeth and braces from any potential sports-related injuries. To help you understand sports-related oral injuries and how to avoid them, the orthodontic specialists at Riverview have compiled a comprehensive guide.
Common Sports-Related Orthodontic Injuries
A few different types of orthodontic emergencies can occur during contact sports. The most common ones include:
Cut lips, cheeks, or tongue
One of the most common sports-related injuries is a laceration to the lips, cheeks, and tongue. This can occur if impacted by a hard object or if you fall and land on your face. While these are usually minor inconveniences that heal with time, if you experience a lot of blood, call Dr. Upton or take your child to the emergency room.
Loose brackets or bands
Amidst the hustle and bustle, brackets and bands can become loose, especially if they’re hit by a hard object, such as sports equipment or a teammate’s body part. Luckily, this is fixable, and Dr. Upton can help you tighten or replace any loose or missing pieces. Call our office to schedule an appointment if you sense anything is loose!
Damaged braces
Unfortunately, if you get hit by a hard object or if you fall and land on your face, you can damage your braces. Have no fear, all accidents are fixable. At Riverview Orthodontics, we’ve seen it all, and we know that it can often seem a lot scarier than it is! Simply call us, and we’ll schedule your braces repair.
Broken or chipped teeth
Although this is a less common injury, teeth can break or chip if they come into contact with another player, hard object, or the ground. In severe cases, you may need to take your child the emergency room. Call our office, and we’ll determine is you need an emergency appointment with Dr. Upton.
Swallowed pieces
Swallowing orthodontic hardware if it becomes loose during a sports event is possible. Despite how it may sound, this is typically resolvable. However, if you have difficulty breathing, call Dr. Upton immediately to arrange a safe solution.
What causes sports-related oral injuries?
There are a few different things that can cause sports-related oral injuries, including:
Not wearing a mouthguard
Mouthguards help protect your teeth and braces from damage. If you don’t wear one, you’re more likely to suffer an oral injury.
Wearing a poorly fitting mouthguard
If your mouthguard doesn’t fit properly, it won’t be able to do its job. Make sure that your mouthguard is customized and fits snugly and is comfortable to wear.
Preventing sports-related oral injuries
The best way to avoid sports-related orthodontic injuries is by wearing a customized mouthguard. At Riverview Orthodontics, we offer custom-made mouthguards to fit your mouth perfectly, because we want all our patients to have maximum comfort and protection while playing sports.
There are three different types of mouthguards:
- Pre-made mouthguards: These are the basic pre-formed models found at most sporting goods stores. These tend to be very bulky and may restrict breathing or movement, especially since there is no one size fits all approach to oral care.
- Boil-and-bite mouthguards: Also known as drug-store mouthguards, these are made from a thermoplastic material that you boil to soften. Once it’s softened, you bite down on the mouthguard, which molds to your teeth. These might offer more protection than the sports variety but still fail to offer your orthodontics the protection they deserve!
- Custom mouthguards: These are made from a mold of your teeth to fit snugly and comfortably. They offer the best protection against sports-related injuries because they don’t restrict your breathing or movement like other generic mouthguards.
It’s essential to wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth and braces if you or your child plays a contact sport. Dr. Upton has made hundreds of custom mouthguards to offer his patients the best protection against sports-related orthodontic emergencies.
Keep your smile safe with Riverview Orthodontics
If you or your child plays contact sports, don’t wait to get a custom mouthguard from Riverview Orthodontics! We use digital scanning technology to create a mouthguard that fits snugly around your orthodontic appliance. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help keep your smile safe.