Thickness change and deformation of custom‐made mouthguards after two years of use by Bangladeshi field hockey players

Abstract

Background/Aim Sports mouthguards are effective devices that prevent dental trauma in sports activities. Players should change mouthguards on a regular basis because of thickness reduction and shape deformation. However, there is no guidance regarding the best timing to change mouthguards. The aims of this study were to analyze the thickness change and deformation of mouthguards after 2 years of use in Bangladesh field hockey players and to consider appropriate evaluation criteria. Material and Methods Fifty‐seven field hockey players belonging to the Bangladesh Sports Education Institute participated in this study. Participants were provided with double‐layered mouthguards made of polyolefin‐based material using a vacuum‐forming machine. Mouthguards were fabricated using 2‐mm‐thick sheet as the first layer and 3‐mm‐thick sheet as the second layer. Players used the mouthguards for 2 years. Before and after using the mouthguards, the thicknesses of nine areas were measured. In addition, the lengths of five areas were used to analyze shape deformation. Results After 2 years, the thicknesses of all measured areas had significantly reduced, and the lengths had significantly increased. Thickness reduction of the posterior‐occlusal and anterior‐incisal areas and deformation of the posterior‐buccal and posterior‐palatal areas were significantly larger than those in other measured areas. Conclusions Mouthguards should be changed on a regular basis to minimize thickness reduction and deformation. Occlusal and incisal thickness and length of the buccal‐posterior area and the palatal‐posterior area are factors to be considered in establishing guidelines regarding the timing of mouthguard change.

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

“…53 Increased masseter muscle activity has been reported with SM use during sports activities 54 combined with concern that these additional applied forces will induce deleterious changes to SM fit and protective function. 55 Physical SM changes with use have led to recommendations that SM should be changed on a regular basis, 7,17,52,53 but unfortunately insufficient evidence exists to justify any recommendations in regard to the frequency of change. Additional longitudinal information provided by in vivo studies is needed to evaluate SM changes that may lead to replacement recommendations.…”

“…SM compliance could also be affected by physical changes that may render SM less suitable for wear, as SM have been reported to physically deteriorate with time 49,50 . Custom SM changes involving shape and thickness have been reported midpoint during a high school football season, 51 and significant reductions in SM thickness with length increase have been reported after 2 years of field hockey use 52 . Using solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), SM material hardening was noted over a rugby season, 53 with the hardening proposed to be material crystallinity increases promoted by prolonged temperature fluctuations and applied biting pressure 53 .…”

Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of 3D-Printed Polymeric Materials for Possible Application in Mouthguards

“…The use of 3D-printing in mouthguard manufacturing could make it possible to design a single protective splint, which can be printed and duplicated while maintaining its dimensions [ 22 ]. This is an important feature because intraorally used appliances should be replaced regularly due to hygiene issues [ 4 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ]. Additionally, according to Kiatwarawut et al [ 28 ], standards for adequate cleaning of thermoplastic appliances still have to be established.…”

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

“…In fact, a general search in PubMed presents over 800 results when looking for the term “sports mouthguard”. Several of these studies have been published within Dental Traumatology 1–14 . The American National Standards Institute/American Dental Association has specified three main types of mouthguards as well as their desired properties such as hardness and impact absorption 15 .…”

“…Several of these studies have been published within Dental Traumatology. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] The American National Standards Institute/American Dental Association has specified three main types of mouthguards as well as their desired properties such as hardness and impact absorption. 15 As oral healthcare providers, patients often approach us for advice on protecting their dentition during contact and non-contact sports.…”