From AQR Orthodontics, Jumeirah, Dubai
Quick Answer
You don’t need to give up sports while wearing braces—a custom-made orthodontic mouthguard, designed specifically to fit over brackets and wires, protects both your teeth and your appliances during contact or high-risk activities.
Why Braces Are at Risk During Sports
- Soft-tissue cuts—brackets and wires can lacerate lips, cheeks, and gums on impact
- Broken hardware—impact can bend wires or detach brackets, causing discomfort and treatment delays
- Tooth trauma—even minor hits can chip or loosen teeth, with braces intensifying the force
- Jaw injuries—impacts may also affect jaw joints or bone structure
Which Mouthguard Is Best With Braces?
- Boil-and-bite orthodontic mouthguards—thermoplastic with extra room for braces; convenient and affordable, but less precise and prone to fitting poorly as teeth move
- Custom-made orthodontic mouthguards (recommended)—crafted from impressions or scans of your braces and teeth, offering superior protection, precise fit, and normal speech and breathing
For a broader look at mouthguard materials and types, read about Custom Sports Mouthguards in Dubai.
What Athletes With Braces Should Do
- Always wear a mouthguard during contact or high-risk sports
- Clean your mouthguard daily—rinse with cool water and brush to prevent bacterial build-up
- Check fit regularly, since teeth shift over the course of treatment
- Let coaches and teammates know you’re wearing braces
- Have an emergency plan—contact AQR Orthodontics promptly after any oral trauma
Do Mouthguards Prevent Concussions?
Mouthguards are undeniably important for protecting teeth, gums, and jaws—but the evidence on concussion prevention specifically is more mixed:
- A 2005 study of varsity football and rugby players found no significant difference in concussion rates with or without mouthguard use
- A broader review concluded there isn’t yet enough data to confirm mouthguards reliably prevent concussions, a position echoed by dental and neurological organizations
- However, one youth ice hockey study reported a meaningful reduction in concussion odds among mouthguard wearers—evidence in this area remains inconsistent across studies
What the Research Is Clear About: Dental Protection
- A meta-analysis of 26 studies found mouthguard wearers were substantially less likely to suffer orofacial injuries compared to non-users
- A separate review across 12 cohort trials reached similar conclusions—properly fitted mouthguards are highly effective at preventing fractures, knocked-out teeth, and soft tissue trauma
Which Sports Call for a Mouthguard?
The American Dental Association recommends mouthguard use across roughly 29 sports and activities, spanning both obvious contact sports (football, rugby, boxing, martial arts, hockey) and sports not traditionally seen as “contact” but still carrying real injury risk (gymnastics, skateboarding, skating, surfing, and cycling).
As Your Teeth Move, Your Guard Must Adapt
Because braces mean your bite is constantly changing, custom orthodontic guards need periodic refitting—boil-and-bite guards can become ill-fitting quickly as treatment progresses. Regular check-ups at AQR Orthodontics help ensure your guard evolves with your smile.
Final Thoughts
Wearing braces doesn’t mean sacrificing your active lifestyle. Book a consultation with Dr. AQR at AQR Orthodontics, Jumeirah, Dubai, to get a mouthguard designed specifically for your braces and your sport.
About the Author
Dr. AQR is a specialist orthodontist and founder of AQR Orthodontics, Jumeirah, Dubai.
FAQs
Can I use a regular store-bought mouthguard with braces?
It’s not recommended—standard mouthguards don’t account for brackets and wires and can actually push against them, increasing injury risk rather than reducing it.
Do mouthguards definitely prevent concussions?
Evidence here is genuinely mixed—mouthguards are well-established for preventing dental and soft-tissue injury, but their effect on concussion risk specifically is less conclusive across studies.
How often does my mouthguard need to be refitted during braces treatment?
Since your bite changes throughout treatment, it’s worth having your fit checked at regular clinic visits and possibly refitted to keep the guard effective.
