Braces

[MI Official]

just a question on wrestlers with braces on the teeth. specifically top AND bottom braces.

Same situation, two separate teams. wrestler properly reposrts to the table and has a mouthpiece in his hand. I ask him if he has braces and he shows me top and bottom. The mouthpiece clearly covers the biting surface and the 'face' of the top braces, but does not cover the 'face' of the bottom braces. It has a very short lip that comes to the top of the braces but doesnt provide any protection to the lips and possibly the opponent (IE crossface). When I tell him that it is not proper and award a TF and start injury time I am told that everyone else lets them use it. One coach had the hinged type of MP and was fine the other coach was upset and informed me so (in a not so polite manner :-) )

Apparently this is an orthopedic mouthpiece and when you bite down HARD it does eventually cover the 'face' of the braces. but who has ever seen a wrestler biting down the entire match??

My question is what is the opinion of this forum on the mouthpiece, and who actually enforces the legality of the mouthpiece?

[Ilofficial]

Illegal the rules say all area of the braces must be covered