Custom mouthguards, especially those fabricated with the injection molding technique of Corflex Orthodontic, were shown to be superior to standard mouthguards in terms of their comfort and users' subjective impressions of their protective function.

Mouthguards do not significantly disturb basic functions of the stomatognathic system. Standard Porida mouthguards were shown to have the most unfavourable effect on oral functions.

The usability of custom mouthguards, especially the ones molded from Corflex, was rated much higher than that of self-adapted mouthguards. Thus, it is the custom mouthguards that should be suggested to and fitted in patients prone to orofacial injuries.

Dental trauma is common result of epileptic seizures. It is necessary to implement prophylactic management to prevent hard and soft tissues injuries, for example by using custom-made mouthguards. Moreover, specially designed dental programs for this group of patients should be provided.

Introduction. Regular use of mouthguards requires proper arrangements for their disinfection and sanitization. Incorrect or infrequent hygiene procedures may lead to inflammatory infection in the oral cavity. Prevention measures also involve periodical replacement of mouthguards due to the growth of microorganisms on their surface, along with increasing porosity on use. Buying a new protective occlusal splint is also recommended in the event of an inflammatory lesion in the mouth, and after infection of the respiratory system. Aim of the study. To assess usage and hygiene maintenance of elastic mouthguards by athletes practicing various sports disciplines. Methods. A group of 1279 mouthguard users were surveyed, including questions about demographic background of participants, hygiene habits and storage of protective splints. Statistical analysis of the results was performed; the level of statistical significance was established at p < 0.05. Results. It was revealed that 5% of the interviewed athletes (60 individuals) do not cleanse their mouthguards. Most of the surveyed participants (85.5%) rinse the splint with water after wearing it. Only every fifth athlete replaces the mouthguard at regular intervals, regardless of its condition; half of the respondents do it when it is completely deformed, and one-third do it after loss of smoothness of its surface. About 20% of athletes have never replaced their protective occlusal splint. All results showed statistical significance. Conclusions. Athletes’ awareness of proper usage, storage and sanitization of mouthguards is not sufficient.

Introduction. The application of flexible occlusal splints in therapy of the stomatognatic system is recommended for short-term use only because of the risk of muscle overloading or occlusal plane disorders. Mouthguards used in prevention of head and mouth injuries are a modification of occlusal splints. They are made of flexible material with properties enabling absorption of impact energy. Due to regular use during trainings and competitions they may have an impact on the incidence of stomatognatic system ailments. Aim of the study. To assess the factors determining the choice of a mouthguard type and its influence on the stomatognatic system. Material and methods. A survey was conducted among 1279 mouthguard users to collect demographic data and information concerning mouthguards on the occurrence of problems arising from their use including pain in the area of the stomatognatic system. Statistical analysis of the results was also performed. Results. 36% athletes with standard mouthguards, 37% with “boil and bite” and 44% with custom-made ones have a tendency towards strong clenching of dental arches. Participants using a custom-made mouthguard reported chewing muscle fatigue more often than the users of the standard and “boil and bite” type, but they did not report any pain located in the area of temporomandibular joint. People experiencing fatigue and with a strong clenching of dental arches tendency significantly more often choose a type considering its retention ability, whereas pain in the temporomandibular joint area does not influence their preferences. Athletes, who declare teeth clenching, more frequently indicate the retention factor as important. Conclusion. It is necessary to conduct further research on the use of mouthguards considering their impact on the stomatognatic system.

A B S T R AC TIntroduction: The use of intraoral mouthguards is the basic method of preventing injuries of the stomato gnathic system while practicing extreme, contact, team and recreational sports. However, the presence of a protec tive splint in the mouth, especially during exercise, when increased oxygen uptake is needed, may adversely affect the level of blood oxygenation. It is also necessary to compare different types of splint as they differ in retention, size and comfort of usage. Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of different intraoral mouthguard types for the cardio respiratory capacity of athletes. Material and methods: Thirty athletes aged 2037, testing a total of 120 intraoral mouthguards of different typestwo custommade mouthguards prepared and two "boil and bite" splints adapted -took part in the study, in which cardiorespiratory capacity was compared using CRF, IF, METs and Watt indicators, based on tests conducted on the Fitmate device correlated with a stationary exercise bike. Results: The analysis of variance showed no differences between the compared parameters regardless of the tested mouthguard. The use of intraoral mouthguards during exercise does not affect the cardiorespiratory endurance of athletes. Conclusions: Mouthguards users, trainers and doctors should be informed about the lack of a negative impact of its usage during training and competition on cardiorespiratory endurance.

Custom mouthguards are used in various sports disciplines as a protection for teeth, temporomandibular joints, and soft tissues of the oral cavity from impact forces. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the mechanical properties of flexible polymeric 3D-printable materials and to select a material with the most favourable physical properties for making intraoral protectors. Four 3D-printable polymeric materials were selected for the evaluation: IMPRIMO LC IBT (Scheu-Dental, Iserlohn, Germany), Keyortho IBT (EnvisionTEC, Gladbeck, Germany), IBT (Formlabs, Somerville, MA, USA), and Ortho IBT (NextDent, Utrecht, Netherlands). A total of 176 samples (44 from each material) was 3D-printed using the stereolitography (SLA) technique. Tensile strength, flexural strength, notch-toughness, Shore hardness, sorption, and solubility tests were conducted. The materials were compared using a series of analyses of variance (one-way ANOVA) with Bonferroni post hoc tests. Statistical analyses were performed with the use of IBM SPSS Statistics 28.0.0 software (IBM, New York, NY, USA). Each material was assigned a score from 1 to 4 depending on the individual test results, and tests were given indexes according to the significance of the parameter in the mouthguard protective function. The number of points obtained by each material in each test was then multiplied by the test index, and the results were tabulated. The material with the highest result among the ones studied—most suitable for the application in mouthguard fabrication—was Keyortho IBT from EnvisionTEC.