Braces and sport

The mouthguard

Standard boil-and-bite guards are moulded to the teeth, which is exactly wrong over braces: the teeth are moving, so the guard stops fitting within weeks, and moulding it around brackets can pull them off when it is removed. What you want is an orthodontic mouthguard — a softer, higher-walled guard designed to sit over brackets with space for movement. They are inexpensive and available at the clinic and most sports shops.

Wear it on the upper arch as standard. If the lower arch is also braced and the sport is high contact, a lower guard is worth having as well. Replace it when it tears or when the fit becomes loose, which with a growing teenager is more often than you would think.

After a knock to the mouth

• Check whether any teeth are loose or displaced, and whether the bite feels different when closing. Either warrants a same-day call.
• Check the appliance for broken brackets, bent wires or a wire out of a tube.
• Rinse with warm salt water and use wax over anything sharp.
• Call the clinic even if everything looks fine but the impact was significant. A tooth injured under braces does not always show immediately.

Sport by sport

• Hockey, rugby, football, martial arts, basketball: orthodontic mouthguard every session, including practice. Most dental injuries happen at training rather than in games.
• Swimming: no restrictions. Chlorine does not affect appliances.
• Running, cycling, skiing: no mouthguard needed for the appliance, though a helmet remains a helmet.
• Wind instruments: the first two to three weeks after bonding are genuinely awkward for brass and reed players. Embouchure adapts. Wax over the upper brackets helps during the transition, and a period of lighter practice while the lips toughen is normal. Tell us if you play seriously — it can influence bracket choice and timing.