St. Louis Home Opener 2013

All of our Century Orthodontic staff were excited today for our Cardinals!

We all dressed in red or Cardinals gear to show our support.  Pictures will follow later today as we take time from our busy work day to have a little fun and enjoy the Cardinals.  If any of our patients or friends are at the game today please share your photos by tagging us on your smile on facebook or sharing your photo on twitter using #centuryortho or @centuryortho!!  Can't wait to see your pictures!!!

Sports and Orthodontics

Many of our patients have questions about sports and orthodontics and these are some of them.

Should I wear my retainer while playing sports?
            No, you should not wear any removable appliance when playing sports or swimming.  Please bring your appliance or retainer with you to the sporting event.  Remember when playing sports that you could get bumped in the mouth to wear a mouth guard for the safety of your lips and teeth. Please view our blog on helmets & Mouth guards.

What is the best way to protect my teeth when I'm practicing?
           You should wear a mouth guard anytime that you think that you may get bumped in the mouth. This includes wearing a mouth guard during practices and games.  Even the sports that you wouldn't think about needing a mouth guard can be dangerous.  Remember any type of extreme sport, gymnastic exercise or even horseback riding could benefit from wearing a mouth guard.  I always tell my patients that it is their responsibility to wear something to protect their mouths.

I'm afraid I will lose my retainer when I am playing sports can I leave it in the car?
          You should never leave a retainer in the car.  Retainers are very sensitive to heat, and can distort even on a mild day.  Retainers and orthodontic appliances should be kept in a case when not in the mouth and that case should be kept somewhere that nothing will mess with it and will not be forgotten.  If you have your retainer case make sure it has your first and last name on the case in case you lose it.  Make sure you have your phone number or our phone number on the case so it can be returned to you if you forget it somewhere.

I wear my mouth guard when I play hockey but I still brake brackets, what am I doing wrong?
             It is possible that you are wearing the mouth guard incorrectly or you maybe getting hit  in just the right place to knock brackets off.  Please continue wearing the mouth guard to protect your lips and teeth.  Losing brackets may get annoying but it is always better to brake brackets then teeth.  When you do brake a bracket please call our office to get the bracket replaced as soon as possible so that you are not slowing down your progress in your orthodontics.

I went through braces and have straight teeth but what happens if I get hit in the mouth after braces?
              When playing any sport that you could get hit in the mouth you should wear a mouth guard.  If you do get hit in the mouth and your teeth have moved or feel loose put your retainer in as soon as possible.  This retainer will stabilize  teeth so that they will not move in the wrong direction and also prevent the loss of your teeth.  Then you need to see your orthodontist and or your primary dental provider as soon as you can.

Helmets and Mouth Guards

Sports safety is a very important thing to think about when getting involved with any sport. In the past it was seen as un-cool to wear a helmet when riding a bike. In some cities in the US laws are passed to enforce the importance of wearing one for your safety. By spending $20 on a bike helmet, you could not only save yourself from a concussion but also your life. Helmets keep players alive and prevent 1 head injury every four minutes. A face guard is attached to the helmet completely covering the face. This makes players 35% less likely to have a facial injury.

When playing any sports where the player could get hit in the mouth, a mouth guard is needed. People don’t realize that by wearing a mouth guard this decreases the odds of injury to your lips, teeth, and even your brain. When protective mouth wear is being worn correctly, it can decrease the chance of getting a concussion. Mouth guards can range anywhere from $5-$150, but rehabilitation costs for a single tooth knocked out can surpass the price of a custom made mouth guard by 20 times. Most of the sports related injuries happen at practice. So that means not only do you have to wear a mouth guard and helmet during the games but also at practice. In orthodontics we have lots of teens who play a wide variety of sports and extra activities. Some of the most dangerous sports are not ones that you would think would be dangerous. Cheerleading and gymnastics as well as horseback riding are all activities where we have seen a lot of broken brackets and mouth injuries. We see a lot of these injuries because people don’t see them as dangerous and don’t take the precautions that they would for football or hockey. This year alone 5 million teeth will be knocked out while people are playing sports. We at Century Orthodontics hope that you do not become part of that statistic.