Invisalign for Athletes: Is it Safer Than Braces?

Athletes lead a busy lifestyle, which comes with numerous risks of getting hurt – taking a ball to the face or falling over at high speeds. However, if you have been looking to treat an athlete, you’ll need to consider carefully whether Invisalign or braces would be more appropriate for their needs.
To this end, today, we’ve outlined some of the key things you need to know about Invisalign for athletes and why it might be a better bet overall. After all, as a dentist, it’s important to consider the key features of each treatment to see if it matches the patient’s lifestyle.
Is Invisalign Safer for Athletes?
Is Invisalign safer for athletes? There are several potential reasons why Invisalign may be safer for athletes who regularly engage in sports that may be considered more dangerous. Ball sports, in particular, are especially important here. Sports where injuries are less common, such as swimming, may not be as much of a concern.
It’s firstly important to keep in mind that Invisalign can help support the teeth themselves in the case of an impact. This reduces the chances of the teeth getting dislodged or knocked out by the process of getting injured.
However, wearing Invisalign rather than braces can more commonly be important for preventing lacerations. Braces could potentially place additional pressure on the lip during an impact (such as being hit by a fast-moving ball or bat), potentially causing more severe lacerations – and these can be substantially more painful than the injury would normally be.
Final Thoughts
Invisalign can be an excellent tool for athletes, and this highlights the importance of knowing a patient’s history and hobbies. With this thought in mind, if you know your patient’s history and hobbies, taking steps to reduce their chances of getting hurt on their braces is integral.
After all, sports can be great fun, but they can also be dangerous. In line with this, if your patient is a regular sports player, you may want to consider using Invisalign rather than braces.