Retainers are one of the most common dental products that adults wear after they’ve completed braces or Invisalign. This thin plastic covering keeps your teeth in place after they’ve been professionally shifted by a dentist. Many adults are also active and enjoy playing sports or other outdoor activities that may require a mouthguard. If you already have a retainer, you might be thinking of using it for protection during contact activities which leads to the question, can I use my retainer as a mouthguard?
Most adults wear retainers at night to prevent their teeth from shifting. It’s required to keep your teeth in the perfect position as they have elastic memory. This means that teeth will always want to shift back to their natural position after they’ve been moved by the dentist. Most retainers are very thin at 1mm and made from essix material. They are designed to prevent teeth from moving but you might be thinking can I use my retainer as a mouthguard?
Retainers do not qualify as protective mouth gear for sports. There are a few reasons for this. Retainers are made razer thin at 1mm and the material that is used to craft them is designed to be light and only prevent teeth from shifting. Sports mouthguards are crafted in different ways and with different materials. This is due to the purpose of wearing them. Sports mouthguards are designed to absorb incoming impact to your teeth and mouth. If you were hit in the face with a ball, elbow, or piece of equipment, the sports mouthguard would absorb the energy from those objects. A retainer would fail to absorb any force because of how thin it is.
Sports mouthguards are crafted anywhere from 3mm to 6mm depending on the sport. Light contact sports like basketball, softball, or wrestling wear the 3mm sports mouthguard. Heavy contact sports like MMA, boxing, and football require more protection like a BJJ Mouthguard which is why it’s recommended to wear a 6mm sports mouthguard. Premium sports mouthguards are made from EVA material to add a layer of comfort while protecting your teeth.
Can I use a retainer as a mouthguard? No, because they are made from different materials and have different functions of protecting your mouth. The retainer is too thin and made from essix material whereas a sports mouthguard is 3mm to 6mm and crafted for maximum protection against head injuries. Sports mouthguards are effective because they absorb the impact to the head but also provide protection to the tongue. Retainers are not designed to protect from any impact including protection for the tongue.
SportingSmiles offers both retainers and sports mouthguards if you are in the need of either. If you’ve recently finished aligner treatments or your braces have been removed, it’s a great idea to have a backup set on hand. SportingSmiles is typically half the cost of your dentist and gives the same premium product. When you order from SportingSmiles you also receive a discount on other products so if you wanted a sports mouthguard and a retainer, it would come as a massive discount. By ordering one or the other, you’d receive the patented impression kit and take teeth impressions before shipping it back to SportingSmiles with the free three-way shipping.
While there are many different types of mouthguards as in sports mouth guards, there are also night guards otherwise known as sleep mouth guards. If you are wondering whether you can use your retainer as a night guard, it’s not suggested. With the constant grinding and clenching, your expensive retainer can be worn down or cracked with the pressure of your teeth. If you suffer from very light grinding you may be able to get away with wearing an Essix Plus retainer which is the most durable and made from the highest-quality plastic. Anything other than very light grinding will require a real night guard.
