Design of Customized Mouthguards with Superior Protection Using Digital-Based Technologies and Impact Tests

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Sports Engineering
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Contact sports pose a risk of jaw and tooth-bone system injuries.
• Mouthguards mitigate injury risk by altering trauma dynamics, but design-performance relationships are unclear.
• Custom-made mouthguards are standard, with ongoing research into improved designs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a finite element model for analyzing custom mouthguard design variables.
• To evaluate the impact of material stiffness, thickness, and space inclusion on mouthguard protection.
• To validate simulation findings through experimental impact tests.

Main Methods:

• Finite element modeling to simulate impact scenarios.
• Evaluation of material properties (stiffness, thickness) and structural features (space inclusion).
• 3D printing of custom mouthguards using commercial resins and experimental impact testing for validation.

Main Results:

• A harder frontal region with space inclusion optimally distributes load and absorbs impact energy.
• Softer layers increase impact duration and energy absorption via compression.
• 3D-printed mouthguards demonstrated superior protection, reducing incisor strain by ~50% compared to conventional designs.

Conclusions:

• Optimizing structural and material properties maximizes mouthguard protective performance.
• A workflow combining simulation, additive manufacturing, and testing accelerates functional mouthguard development.
• Future custom mouthguards will be 3D-printed with region-specific attributes tailored to sport and impact severity.