People who have chosen to go with Invisalign treatment may have some trepidation about playing sports. Will my Invisalign fall out? Will it break? Can I wear a gum shield? These are questions that people regularly ask themselves.

Below are some points to keep in mind so you can stay active without worrying about your aligners.

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign is an alternative to a metal brace. Instead of altering the aesthetics of your smile, Invisalign works with removable clear aligners that are practically invisible to the naked eye. The treatment is popular among teenagers and adults who want to retain a metal free smile without judgement from their peers or colleagues.

What sports can I play with Invisalign in?

Different sports have different intensities, contact levels and risks to the mouth.  Each sport has to be evaluated by the athlete to see whether they should keep their trays in. Below is a rough guide to help you make those decisions.

With Invisalign fitting so well there is little chance of the aligner dropping out if you take a bump or knock in sports like football or basketball. Feel free to keep your aligners in when playing sports with little contact such as:

• Football
• Tennis
• Athletics
• Basketball
• Cycling
• Gymnastics

Full contact sports bring new challenges when wearing aligners. Any forceful impact to the mouth could damage your aligner costing you money and setting your treatment back. Most sports that have high impact risks like boxing or wrestling usually require a gum shield.  If a mouth guard is required simply remove your aligners and place into your tray while you are competing. Trade your Invisalign with a gum shield in sports such as:

• Boxing
• Rugby
• Wrestling
• Martial Arts
• Polo
• Hockey

As long as you are sensible and weigh the risks appropriately your Invisalign should not get in the way of you participating in sports. If you are ever in doubt, remove your Invisalign to be on the safe side.

Having a loose adult tooth can be a worrying situation. The most common causes of loose teeth are trauma to the mouth and gum disease.

Trauma

If you suffered a loose tooth from trauma to the mouth you have two options.

Firstly if a major impact has occurred to the jaw from boxing, rugby, a car accident etc. then you should go to your dentist immediately. An assessment needs to be made on the tooth to see if any nerve damage has occurred. Trauma to the mouth can also cause chips and cracks that can be addressed by your dentist.

Secondly if the trauma was light and the tooth is slightly wobbly then you may want to wait two weeks. Teeth naturally tighten themselves back up over a short period of time. If the affected tooth does not firm -up itself then you need to make an appointment at your dentist for an examination.

Gum disease

Regular hygiene appointments will decrease the likelihood of your teeth getting loose. This way the dentist can keep your oral hygiene in check and warn you of any signs of gum disease. If you have contracted periodontal disease your tooth may not just go loose but fall out. Look out for the signs of gum disease below:

• Swollen gums.
• Red colouring of the gum.
• White colouring of the gum.
• Bleeding gums.
• Gum abscesses or pus that collects under your gum.

Apart from preventing loose teeth with good oral hygiene, your tooth could possibly be re-set if it becomes wobbly. One way this can be done is by using a splint to secure loose teeth. The method consists of tethering the dislodging tooth to a neighbouring anchored tooth by using a strong adhesive resin.

After the procedure the joined teeth will need extra attention and inspection when brushing and flossing.

In any case, If in doubt- speak to your dentist.