Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Helping Athletes Protect Their Teeth and Braces


If you have looked into the cost of braces in Houston, you know that they are an investment.  And like any investment, you want to protect them.  However, there are more reasons that should motivate you to protect your or your child’s teeth than the cost of braces in Houston.  
For athletes, this means taking extra steps that non-athlete patients do not need to worry about.  If you or your child play contact sports, be certain that your doctor knows before treatment beings.  This information is vital to the team’s ability to give you or your child the right care.  Read below to learn more.
Do Not Give Up Sports
The first thing many of our athletic patients ask us is if they need to give up sports until they are out of treatment.  Our answer is a resounding no.  Sports are a great way to stay healthy—and we are all about health.  Not to mention that they give you the chance to socialize, let off steam, and all around feel better.  For our younger patients, they can also help them develop vital physical and social skills.  So definitely do not give up on sports just because you are entering treatment.  
What Are the Risks?
Teeth should always be protected when playing sports, even if you do not wear an appliance.  Without protection, you risk severe injury to the teeth.  We treat multiple patients every month who have chipped or missing teeth due to sports accidents; in all cases, these are patients who were not wearing the correct protection.  
Appliances make the risk of damage even greater.  In addition to harming the appliance itself, you can get the appliance caught on clothing, pulling on it and the teeth, and the appliance can cut the inside of the mouth.  It is vital that you protect your appliance and teeth.
How to Do It
The first thing to do is wear protective gear.  If you have Invisalign, this means taking out the aligner and putting in a mouth guard.  If you have traditional braces, you will need to have a special mouth guard made.  We can help you with this, but understand that it will be additional to the cost of braces.  While it isn’t fun to wear and children can resist it, wearing it is vital.  Make certain this is something you do not compromise on. 
Next, if the sport you or your child plays allows helmets or facemasks, wear them.  This will offer an additional layer of protection that could help prevent disaster.  Finally, work with the coach to learn ways to play that protect the face and teeth.
Once you put all of these methods together, you should find that your teeth are well protected and you can feel confident continuing to play sports. 

For know more about affordable braces in Houston tx please visit our website: rocknbraces.com