Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
07:32
Measuring Maxillary Posterior Tooth Movement: A Model Assessment using Palatal and Dental Superimposition
Published on: February 23, 2024
Influence of maxillary mouthguards on physiological parameters
Muriel Bourdin1, Isabelle Brunet-Patru, Pierre-Emmanuel Hager
1Laboratory of Biomechanics and Human Modeling, Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, Lyon-South Teaching Hospital, Oullins, France. bourdin@univ-lyon1.fr
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
|August 5, 2006
Summary
Wearing a mouthguard, whether self-adapted (SA) or custom-made (CM), does not significantly impact key physiological performance metrics for team sports athletes. This finding supports the use of mouthguards in sports.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Exercise Physiology
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Team sports athletes often use maxillary mouthguards to prevent dental injuries.
- The impact of mouthguards on physiological performance parameters is not fully understood.
- Two types of mouthguards, self-adapted (SA) and custom-made (CM), are commonly used.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of SA and CM maxillary mouthguards on physiological parameters relevant to team sports performance.
- To compare the effects of wearing mouthguards versus not wearing them.
Main Methods:
- Nineteen trained male team sports athletes participated in the study.
- Physiological parameters including visual reaction time, explosive power, and ventilation (at rest and during exercise) were measured.
- Measurements were taken under three randomized conditions: no mouthguard, SA mouthguard, and CM mouthguard.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences were observed in visual reaction time, explosive power, or ventilation parameters between the three conditions.
- Wearing either SA or CM mouthguards did not alter the measured physiological variables compared to the normal condition.
Conclusions:
- Maxillary mouthguard use, including both SA and CM types, does not negatively affect key physiological parameters associated with team sport performance.
- These findings support the recommendation for athletes to wear individually fitted maxillary mouthguards to protect against dental injuries without compromising performance.
