Our instructor recently made everyone get mouthpieces. A friend of mine has braces, and can't use his. Has anyone encountered this problem before? Are there special mouthpieces for braces? If one doesn't exist, how do people with braces overcome the risk of damage to the teeth/jaw while sparring?
Sparring with braces
- Thread starter Loki
- Start date
I'm sure your friends orthodontist can help him out with that. A lot of people with braces play sports that require mouthpieces, so they should be able to get him set up with what he needs. 
Yup, my daughter had one made for her braces. He wanted her to have a good mouth piece to protect her teeth and avoid any damage to the braces from sparring. Get your friend to see his orthodontist.
With braces he's going to want one, more so then everyone else. Doesn't take much impact to turn the inside of his mouth into ground beef with braces in there.
Orthodontist will be able to custom make him one, if not he could give this a try: http://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/bracesguard.html
Orthodontist will be able to custom make him one, if not he could give this a try: http://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/bracesguard.html
I have braces (yeah, I know...I'm old)
Your friend's orthodontist will likely include at least one mouth guard at no additional charge as part of his treatment. He just needs to ask his ortho for it.
Your friend's orthodontist will likely include at least one mouth guard at no additional charge as part of his treatment. He just needs to ask his ortho for it.
Eternal Beginner
Brown Belt
lady_kaur said:
If you are lucky, your orthodontist will make sure at all phases of treatment appropriate mouthguards are provided. My daughter has had two already with her orthodontist as her teeth are shuffled around and extractions done. He hasn't charged us anything extra.
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Hey, we all threw all out mouthpieces away-good riddance! We spar with headgear with simple bar cages and it works great. We got them from Century @ http://www.centuryma.com/
Braces no problem with them! TW
Braces no problem with them! TW
As others have said - have the student speak to his/her orthodontist - they can make or provide (I've seen both) mouthguards intended for braces. It happens all the time - in fact, my dentist (who has the same instructor I do) offered to adjust mine for me if I needed it done - and I don't have braces.
Sam said:
I see we have a bit of a mean streak in us, don't we?
I tried that with my son when he first got his braces. Kinda forgot metal is a great conductor of heat....
After I peeled him of the ceiling, we went to his orthodontist and had a custom one made. Silly dad.
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Sam said:
We've been using them for two years, the whole school and no one has gotten hurt. Its not enough to hook your feet into. It seems to jar the person with the headgear more. TW
Sarah
Senior Master
I have braces (at 28...lol) and I figure if im paying $6,000 for straight teeth I aint letting anyone hit me in the mouth.
I have sparred a lot in the past and possibly will in the future but as long as I have braces, no head shots allowed, my teeth are more important than sparring.
I have sparred a lot in the past and possibly will in the future but as long as I have braces, no head shots allowed, my teeth are more important than sparring.
Sam said:
Maybe it's the type of braces then, or I got the mouthpiece too hot. Regardless, he feels it was a negative experience. Who knew...Do you have the clear ones or the full blown metal ones?
DeLamar.J
3rd Black Belt
I guess he just cant get hit in the mouth. Make sure the people he is sparring with have control.Loki said:
I remember when I was about 13, and had braces. I wasn't involved in any MA then, but I played saxophone in the marching band. I was told to buy wax to place over the metal. You can get this at the local pharmacy- they're just little sticks, and are called denta wax. It'll protect the inside of your mouth, but isn't a replacement for a mouth gaurd.
