Sports mouthguard overview: Materials, fabrication techniques, existing standards, and future research needs

Abstract

Sports accidents are thought to be responsible for up to one third of oral and craniofacial injuries, 1 and they can be considered a major public oral health problem due to the impact of the burden of care, and the disruption to daily life, not to mention the treatment cost. 1,2 Dental trauma has been said to be the fifth most prevalent condition, reported to affect 1 billion people worldwide with an economic cost estimated to be over $US 5 million annually. 3 Sports dental injuries can cause immediate irreparable harm with possible sequelae for years afterwards such as pulp necrosis and tooth resorption. 4 Retrospective reviews indicate that sporting activity oral injuries may affect up to 52% of children aged 11-13 years, 5 and up to 70% of athletes have reported at least one orofacial injury. 6 Sports mouthguards (SM) are effective in preventing and reducing sports-related orofacial injuries 1,6-8 by absorbing and distributing direct impact energy and reducing the forces to the dental hard tissues, 7-9 the mandibular condyle and the articular disk. 10,11 The World Dental Federation (FDI) has recommended that SM should be used to prevent dental injury, 12 and further recommends that customized SM be provided under dental supervision. 13 While discussion of recommendations from various associations is beyond the scope of this review, some sports organizations recommend that SM should be mandatory for all ages for sports events. 14 | Mouthguard definitions and standardsThe Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms defines a mouthguard as a removable occlusal device that is useful in reducing mouth injuries

Predictive factors for maxillofacial fractures, sedentary behavior, and dental trauma literacy

“…36,37 However, participation of adolescents in sports activities without oral protective equipment may contribute to oral trauma as well. [38][39][40][41][42] In this Issue, Leite et al analyzed the factors associated with dental trauma in 12-year-old adolescents living in the five largest cities (>80,000 inhabitants) in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul-Brazil. 43 A population-based cross-sectional study derived from the epidemiological survey was conducted to test whether sedentary behavior is a protective factor for TDIs.…”

“…The widespread use of social networks and the internet, especially among children and adolescents, leads to the importance of investigating whether sedentary behavior is associated with TDIs and other dental diseases, independently of contextual and individual factors 36,37 . However, participation of adolescents in sports activities without oral protective equipment may contribute to oral trauma as well 38–42 . In this Issue , Leite et al analyzed the factors associated with dental trauma in 12‐year‐old adolescents living in the five largest cities (>80,000 inhabitants) in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul—Brazil 43 .…”

Prevention of maxillofacial injuries through analysis of mechanisms, patterns, and long‐term sequalae

“…As oral healthcare providers, patients often approach us for advice on protecting their dentition during contact and non‐contact sports. However, there seems to be a lack of consistent standards regarding the materials, fabrication techniques, or testing methods best suited for a sports mouthguard 16 . In this Issue , Roberts et al provide an in‐depth review of the current literature available on sports mouthguards.…”

“…However, there seems to be a lack of consistent standards regarding the materials, fabrication techniques, or testing methods best suited for a sports mouthguard. 16 In this Issue, Roberts et al provide an in-depth review of the current literature available on sports mouthguards. The authors delve into the lack of evidence supporting current fabrication techniques and the dire need for a standardized approach to laboratory testing protocols.…”

Electric scooters, fracture patterns, and the rise of e‐learning platforms

“…The use of mouthguards and knowledge of oral injury management among athletes has been a long‐standing topic of interest in sports dentistry 17–21 . It is well established that the use of mouthguards can significantly reduce dental injuries in sports 22,23 . Although football (soccer) is considered a nonviolent sport, it may lead to oral injuries.…”