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Dear Dr. Barakat,
Can my child use his Invisalign aligners as a regular mouthguard for playing sports?
Dear Concerned Parent,
Unlike a custom-made mouthguard, your Invisalign aligners are designed strictly for straightening your teeth rather than protecting them from injury while playing sports. As a rule, you should remove your aligners and use the mouthguard during sporting activities to reduce the chance of injuries to your mouth and teeth.
Invisalign aligners do provide more comfort than traditional braces that have brackets and wires that can cut into your lips, but they do not provide the same cushion to guard against impacts to the face that can occur during a sporting event.
[blockquote style=”3″]Pro Tip: Store your aligners in your mouthguard tray so that you remember to put them in again right after the game and don’t lose any valuable orthodontic treatment time![/blockquote]
Your Orthodontist will also warn you not to wear your aligners on the field because you might lose them, and they provide no protection to the teeth, tongue, and gums from injury if you are hit in the face. So, order that custom-made mouthguard and prevent a stray football, tennis ball, or hockey puck from destroying all that orthodontic progress you’re making!
Dr. Rana Barakat, a board-certified specialist in Orthodontics, has been proudly serving Northern Virginia for more than 20-years! She has built her practice on a personal touch and excellent treatment.
As a parent, she understands wanting the best for your children by giving them beautiful, confident smiles. She makes it a priority to ensure optimal results, but also believes that each patient’s experience during treatment is just as important as the clinical result. As the 2015-16 President of the Virginia Association of Orthodontists, Dr. Barakat’s dedication and expertise reflect why her peers continue to nominate her as a Top Dentist.
Barakat Orthodontics is located at 45745 Nokes Blvd., Ste. 175, Sterling, VA 20166. Connect by visiting them online, or get social with them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Barakat Orthodontics can also be reached at (703) 433-9330.
