Sports Dentistry İstanbul

Dental and orthodontic editor: Prof. Dr. Mehmet Oğuz Öztoprak – Specialist in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics · Corporate editor: Dentapolitan Clinical Science Board
Last updated: 24 July 2026

Sports dentistry is the field of dentistry concerned with preventing injuries that can occur to the mouth, teeth, jaw and facial region in amateur or professional athletes, treating the traumas that do arise, and protecting the athlete's oral health over the long term. This field is not limited to the mouthguards used in boxing or combat sports; in many disciplines such as football, basketball, volleyball, cycling, skiing, horseback riding and motor sports, dental and facial injuries can develop as a result of falls, collisions or contact with equipment.

The FDI World Dental Federation defines mouthguards as one of the essential protective pieces of equipment against oral trauma in sports that carry a risk of contact and collision; it recommends that custom-made protectors be prepared by a dentist and checked at least once a year. At Dentapolitan, sports dentistry is built on three goals: reducing risk before trauma occurs, protecting the tooth and surrounding tissues as much as possible when trauma does occur, and making the athlete's oral health part of an overall health program.

What Does Sports Dentistry Cover?

Sports dentistry is a broad field: identifying the trauma risk specific to a sport, preparing a custom mouthguard, following the growth and dental development of young athletes, monitoring athletes who use braces (orthodontics) or clear aligners (Invisalign), treating tooth fractures, luxations and avulsions, evaluating lip/tongue/gum injuries, referral for jaw and facial fractures, examining clenching and the jaw joint in athletes, checking for caries and gum diseases, evaluating the effect of sports drinks and nutrition on oral health, and building protective programs for clubs.

Athletes may be exposed to trauma more often, may experience dry mouth due to intense exercise, may frequently consume carbohydrates or sports drinks, and may postpone their routine check-ups because of their training schedule. Ongoing pain, an abscess or a broken restoration inside the mouth can disrupt an athlete's nutrition, sleep and concentration. That said, because there are no definitive findings on the extent to which oral health improves athletic performance, claims such as "dental treatment definitely boosts performance" should be avoided.

In Which Sports Should a Mouthguard Be Used?

Mouthguards are recommended especially in sports that carry a risk of contact, collision, falls or impact with hard equipment. Alongside high-contact sports (boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, MMA, karate, taekwondo, judo, wrestling, rugby, American football, ice hockey), disciplines with a moderate contact risk (football, basketball, volleyball, water polo, gymnastics, skateboarding, cycling) and sports with a high risk of falling (skiing, snowboarding, horseback riding, motor sports) also carry risk. The AAPD supports the use of appropriate mouthguards not only in classic collision sports but also in other organized sports that carry a risk of orofacial injury; dental injuries can also occur in disciplines where a mouthguard is not mandatory, such as basketball.

What Is a Sports Mouthguard and What Does It Protect Against?

A sports mouthguard is a flexible appliance placed inside the mouth to protect the teeth, gums, lips and surrounding oral tissues against blows and collisions. Its basic function is to distribute the force of an impact over a wider area and to reduce the direct clashing of the upper and lower teeth against each other. A properly designed mouthguard can help reduce the risk or severity of injuries such as crown and root fractures, tooth displacement or avulsion, lip and cheek cuts, tongue injuries, and damage to soft tissue caused by orthodontic brackets.

However, a mouthguard does not completely prevent all injuries; the AAPD notes that dentoalveolar and soft-tissue injuries can still occur even when a mouthguard is worn. Furthermore, it cannot be said that mouthguards definitively prevent concussion or guarantee protection against brain injury. The primary purpose of a mouthguard is to protect the teeth and the tissues around the mouth; it cannot be guaranteed to definitively prevent concussion.

Types of Sports Mouthguards

Mouthguards are considered in three groups. Stock (ready-made) protectors are cheap and quickly obtained, but they may not fit the mouth exactly, may require constant clenching to keep them in place, and may adversely affect speech and breathing. Boil-and-bite protectors can fit better than ready-made products, but the protective thickness may not be even in every area during shaping. Custom-made protectors are produced from an impression taken by the dentist; they fit the teeth better, offer better retention, allow thickness and layering to be planned according to the sport, can improve speech and breathing comfort, and can stay in place without clenching. The FDI and AAPD note that custom, EVA-like layered protectors may be superior in terms of retention, comfort and protection, especially in heavy contact sports.

How Is a Custom Sports Mouthguard Made?

The process involves the following steps: (1) Assessing the sport and trauma risk — a boxer's protector does not have to be the same design as a cyclist's. (2) Oral and dental examination — caries, gum diseases, broken fillings, brackets, implants and the jaw joint are evaluated; if there is an active problem, the necessary treatments are planned before the protector. (3) Taking a digital or conventional impression. (4) Determining the design (upper/lower jaw, thickness, single/multi-layer structure, space for brackets, growth allowance). (5) Production, usually with EVA-like thermoplastic materials. (6) Checking retention, comfort, speech, breathing and upper-lower tooth contact in the mouth. (7) Use and care instructions. (8) Periodic check-up — the FDI recommends a check at least once a year; growing children, orthodontic patients and professionals are followed more frequently. Protectors are usually made for the upper jaw; in situations such as a Class III bite, a lower-jaw protector may be considered.

Thickness, Breathing, Speech and Performance

There is no single ideal thickness for every athlete; thickness is determined according to the intensity of the sport, the direction of the impact, age, tooth structure and material. A thicker device is not always better — excessive thickness can make speaking difficult, increase the gag reflex, and lead the athlete to stop wearing the device. Poorly fitting ready-made protectors can reduce breathing and speech comfort; a custom protector should grip the teeth, should not fall out when the mouth is open, and should not require constant clenching. Although some manufacturers claim that a protector increases muscle strength, balance or endurance, the evidence that mouthguards directly and definitively improve performance is not consistent; claims such as "increases strength" or "definitely improves balance" should not be used from a scientific standpoint.

Sports with Braces and Invisalign

Receiving orthodontic treatment is not an obstacle to playing sports; however, brackets and wires can cause lip and cheek cuts, bracket detachment and more complicated trauma during an impact. In contact-sport athletes who use braces, an orthodontic mouthguard should not press on the brackets, should leave enough space for tooth movement, and should be checked more frequently and renewed when necessary. Using a clear aligner is not an obstacle to sport in most disciplines, but where there is a high contact risk an Invisalign aligner does not replace a sports mouthguard: clear aligners are not made to distribute impact, are not as thick as a protector, and can break under a blow. In contact sports, the aligner should be removed and an appropriate mouthguard used.

Young Athletes and Trauma Risk

Because the dental and jaw structure in children changes continuously with growth, primary teeth, newly erupting permanent teeth, loose teeth, jaw growth and orthodontic treatment are taken into account when preparing a protector; children's protectors are renewed more frequently than adult devices. The risk is higher in children whose upper front teeth are markedly protruding, whose lips do not fully cover the teeth, who have previously experienced dental trauma, and who take part in contact sports. This follow-up is carried out together with pediatric dentistry. The AAPD lists pronounced overjet and inadequate lip coverage among the factors that increase the risk of dental trauma.

Dental Trauma: Tooth Fracture and Avulsion

If a tooth is fractured during sport: the athlete should be taken out of play, the head-neck and level of consciousness should be assessed, any bleeding inside the mouth should be controlled with clean gauze, if the broken fragment is found it should be transported in milk or an appropriate storage medium (without letting it dry out), and a dentist should be seen as soon as possible. Poking at the fractured area, applying adhesive to the tooth, or dismissing the trauma because "there's no pain" is wrong; the fracture may be accompanied by root, pulp or jaw trauma, so radiographic and clinical evaluation is required. When pulp damage develops after trauma, root canal treatment may be needed.

If a permanent tooth is completely knocked out (avulsion) this is a genuine dental emergency: the tooth should be held only by the crown (the white part), the root surface should not be touched or rubbed. If the person is able, the tooth can be repositioned into its socket in the correct direction; if it cannot be repositioned it should be transported in an appropriate storage medium or in milk and the tooth should not be left dry. Drying out or crushing of the periodontal ligament cells on the root surface reduces the success of reimplantation. A knocked-out primary tooth should not be put back in place — it can damage the development of the underlying permanent tooth. For jaw and facial fractures (difficulty opening the mouth, a sudden change in the bite, deformity of the jaw, numbness in the lower lip), evaluation by oral and maxillofacial surgery is required, and in suspicious cases the athlete should not continue playing.

The absence of pain immediately after trauma does not mean the tooth is intact; a root fracture, damage to the pulp vessels or slight displacement may have occurred, and some complications can appear months or years later. For this reason, traumatized teeth should be followed for discoloration, sensitivity, mobility and lesions at the root tip.

Bruxism, the Jaw Joint and Oral Health in Athletes

Athletes may involuntarily clench their teeth during high exertion, concentration, stress or weightlifting; pain in the chewing muscles, wear on the teeth, fractures of fillings and crowns, and sounds in the jaw joint may be seen. However, clenching during training is not in itself a disease; the need for treatment is assessed in terms of tooth damage, pain and nighttime bruxism. A sports mouthguard does not replace a night guard — a protector is designed to absorb impact, while a night guard (bruxism) is designed to manage clenching forces; their materials and uses differ, and an athlete may need both. Blows to the face/jaw, repetitive clenching and an ill-fitting protector can trigger or worsen jaw joint problems; in the case of restricted mouth opening or a change in the bite after trauma, muscle pain alone should not be assumed — a fracture or intra-articular injury should be ruled out.

Mouth breathing can increase during intense exercise; if the athlete constantly breathes through the mouth at rest and during sleep as well, evaluation is needed for nasal obstruction, a narrow palate or sleep-related breathing disorders. Sweating, dehydration and mouth breathing reduce salivary flow, raising the risk of caries and erosion. Gum diseases (bleeding, recession, mobility) may be postponed during an intense training period; treating an active periodontal infection is important, but it should not be claimed that periodontal treatment definitely boosts athletic performance.

Sports Drinks, Erosion and Caries

Many sports and energy drinks contain sugar and acid; frequent and prolonged consumption can increase the risk of caries, enamel erosion and tooth sensitivity. The risk rises especially when the drink is consumed frequently in small sips throughout the day and combines with dry mouth. To reduce the risk, water should be preferred when there is no need, the drink should not be held in the mouth, water should be drunk afterward, vigorous brushing immediately after an acidic drink should be avoided, and fluoride toothpaste should be used. In treating dental erosion (dissolution of enamel by acid, independent of bacteria), it is not enough to simply place a filling — the source of the acid must be identified. Frequent carbohydrates, energy gels and irregular oral care increase the risk of caries in athletes; a protective program may include risk-based examination, fluoride application, fissure sealants and dietary adjustment.

Check-up Frequency and Club Programs

The check-up interval is determined according to personal risk; in general, at least one dental evaluation per year, with shorter intervals considered if there is caries/gum disease, orthodontic treatment or a frequent trauma risk. In a pre-season screening, active caries, abscesses, broken fillings, gum diseases, front teeth vulnerable to trauma, the jaw joint and the condition of the mouthguard are evaluated; the aim is to reduce the need for emergency treatment during the competition period. A program aimed at clubs may include pre-season screening, sport-specific trauma risk analysis, custom protector production, follow-up of orthodontic athletes, an emergency dental trauma protocol, coach/medical-staff training, a dental trauma kit, and a fast appointment line during the season.

Care and Replacement of the Mouthguard

The protector should be rinsed with cold or lukewarm water after each use, cleaned with a soft brush, and stored in a hard, ventilated case after it dries; it should not be placed in boiling water, left in the sun or in a hot car, or shared with anyone else. The device should be replaced if it no longer fits the mouth exactly, falls out when the mouth is open, is torn/thinned, if fillings or crowns have been placed on the teeth, if orthodontic movement has occurred, if the child's jaw and dental structure has grown, or if it has been damaged after major trauma; in professionals doing heavy contact sports the replacement interval may be shorter. Bacteria and odor can build up in protectors that are not cleaned; the problem usually stems not from the device but from inadequate care.

The Sports Dentistry Approach at Dentapolitan

At Dentapolitan, sports dentistry is not treated as merely preparing a mouthguard. The athlete's discipline and trauma risk are identified; past traumas are asked about; the teeth, restorations and implants are examined; the gum and bone support, the position of the front teeth and lip protection are analyzed; orthodontic treatment and growth status are taken into account; the jaw joint, chewing muscles, clenching and wear findings, as well as dry mouth and sports-drink use, are evaluated. A sport-specific custom protector is designed and its breathing, speech and retention are checked, the athlete is given trauma first-aid information, and the device is followed at regular intervals; if trauma occurs, emergency treatment and long-term follow-up are planned. For clubs, pre-season screening and training programs can be established. Evaluation and treatment are carried out at our Istanbul clinics.

This content has been prepared for general health information purposes; it does not replace an examination, diagnosis or a personalized treatment plan. If there is loss of consciousness, neck trauma, serious bleeding or a suspected jaw fracture, urgent medical care should be sought first.