Invisalign and Contact Sports: Can You Wear a Mouthguard Over Invisalign?
If you play a contact sport, such as rugby or Australian Rules football, you'll be used to wearing a mouthguard during games. After all, not wearing a mouthguard could lead to some costly dental injuries. But if you are about to begin a course of Invisalign to straighten your teeth, you will need to make some adjustments.
First, you are probably wondering if you can wear a mouthguard over an aligner while you play.
Your Dentist Can Design a Custom Mouthguard
Fortunately, if you'd prefer to keep your aligners in during games, your dentist can create a custom mouthguard from EVA rubber. While more expensive than say, a boil-and-bite mouthguard, a custom mouthguard will fit comfortably over your Invisalign aligner, whereas a boil-and-bite guard won't. A boil-and-bite mouthguard will likely be loose fitting. As a result, its protective capabilities will suffer.
So, if you would rather keep your Invisalign aligners in during games to get the most out of your treatment, then speak to your dentist about getting a custom-made mouthguard. Bear in mind, too, that as your teeth move with your treatment, your dentist may need to adjust the fit of your mouthguard. This might be necessary every 3-6 months.
But what if you'd rather take your aligners out during games?
You Can Take Your Aligners Out for Games
If wearing a mouthguard over your aligners during games doesn't appeal to you, then you can take another route. However, this route means that your treatment time will be longer. For instance, if you are to move from one aligner to the other every two weeks, you'll need to wear each aligner for 22 hours per day at least. However, you'll need to factor in mealtimes and oral hygiene.
When combined with your sports games, the time you take your aligner out each day may well be over 2 hours. As such, if you decide to remove your Invisalign aligners for contact sport games, be prepared for your treatment to take longer. Moreover, before you begin your course of Invisalign, ensure that you and your orthodontist come up with a suitable treatment timetable.
As long as you keep your dentist informed of your plans before and during treatment, your treatment should progress as planned. And, if you lose your mouthguard, don't use your Invisalign aligner in its place. Invisalign aligners don't offer any protection against oral injuries. Instead, see your dentist about getting a replacement before taking part in any more games.
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