Medically reviewed by Dr. Kathryn Swan, Orthodontist | June 2026
Swan Orthodontics | Caledonia, MI
Yes, you can keep playing your sport with braces, and you should not have to sit out a single game. The one thing you need is a mouthguard. I recommend an orthodontic mouthguard made of medical-grade silicone, because it cushions your lips and brackets on impact, adjusts as your teeth move, and protects both your braces and your teeth from the hits that come with any contact sport.
I hear this worry almost every week in our Caledonia office. A student gets cleared for treatment, then the first question is whether braces mean a season on the bench. They never do. With the right protection, you get both: the sport you love and the smile you are working toward.
Why mouthguards matter even more once you have braces
A mouthguard protects you twice when you wear braces: it shields your teeth from injury and it keeps the metal of your brackets from cutting the inside of your lips and cheeks. The American Dental Association reports that an athlete is 60 times more likely to damage their teeth when playing without a mouthguard. Add braces to the mix, and an unprotected hit can also snap a bracket or bend a wire.
In my practice, the broken brackets I see almost always trace back to a game or a practice with no mouthguard. That is a problem worth preventing, because every broken bracket means an extra visit and can stretch out your total orthodontic treatment time. A few dollars of protection saves you weeks in braces.
This is not only a contact-sport issue. I tell my Grand Rapids area patients to wear a guard for low-impact sports too. It does not take a tackle to do harm. A stray elbow under the basket, a knee to the face going for a loose ball, or a fall off a bike can all push your lip into your brackets hard enough to cut. For daily care beyond sports, our life with braces guide is a helpful resource.
What kind of mouthguard works best with braces?
The best mouthguard for braces is a custom orthodontic mouthguard, with a quality over-the-counter silicone guard as a solid second choice. The type you want to avoid is the standard boil-and-bite guard.
Here is why the difference matters:
- Boil-and-bite guards work against your braces. These are made of thermoplastic that softens in hot water and molds tightly to your teeth. The problem is that your teeth are supposed to move during treatment. A guard molded to today’s position can fight that movement, grip your brackets too snugly, and pop a bracket loose if you take a hard hit.
- Orthodontic mouthguards are built for braces. They are made from high-grade silicone with a channel that fits over your brackets without locking onto them. They cushion your lips away from the metal and flex as your teeth shift. They run slightly larger than a standard guard, but they are no less comfortable, and patients tell me they forget it is in.
- A custom guard from your orthodontist fits best of all. When we make a guard to your exact bite, it stays put, breathes well, and gives you the most reliable protection through every stage of treatment.
If you buy off the shelf, look specifically for a guard labeled for braces or orthodontic use, and choose one with a lip guard if your sport involves contact. A lip guard keeps you from biting your cheek and still lets you call out to teammates.
What should I do if I get hit in the mouth while wearing braces?
Call your orthodontist the same day if you take a direct hit to the mouth, even if nothing looks broken. At Swan Orthodontics we keep time open for orthodontic emergencies, and once I understand what happened, I can tell you whether you need to come in right away or whether it can wait for your next visit.
While you wait to reach us, do a quick check. Look for a loose or broken bracket, a wire poking the inside of your cheek, any bleeding, or a tooth that feels loose or out of place. A loose tooth or a tooth knocked out of position is the situation that needs attention fastest, so do not wait on that one. For a poking wire, a small piece of orthodontic wax over the end will hold you over comfortably until we see you.
Most sports hits that happen with a mouthguard in place turn out to be minor. Most hits without one are the ones that turn into broken brackets, bleeding gums, or a chipped tooth. That contrast is the whole reason I push mouthguards so hard with my student-athletes.
What patients should know
Here is the short version I give every athlete in our chair. You do not have to choose between your sport and your treatment. Wear a mouthguard every time you practice or compete, not only on game day. Choose an orthodontic silicone guard over a boil-and-bite model, and pick one with a lip guard for contact sports. Keep it clean, rinse it after each use, and store it in a vented case so it lasts the season. And if you ever take a hit to the mouth, reach out to us the same day.
If you are already in treatment with us, or you have braces coming soon and you are worried about your season, let’s talk it through. I am happy to recommend the right guard for your sport or fit you for a custom one. You can schedule a consultation any time, and we will make sure you step onto the field protected and confident.
Caledonia and the greater Grand Rapids area are full of student-athletes, and helping them keep playing while their smiles come together is one of the most rewarding parts of my work. My team and I are here to answer your questions and keep you in the game, brackets and all. That is the promise behind every smile we help create at Swan Orthodontics.