A comparison of athletic mouthguard materials

Area of Science:

• Sports Dentistry
• Biomaterials Science
• Orthodontics

Background:

• Contact sports participation poses significant risks of orofacial injuries.
• Protective mouthguards have dramatically reduced the incidence of such injuries.
• Various materials and fabrication techniques exist for mouthguards.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct an in vivo comparison of different thermoplastic mouthguard materials.
• To evaluate dimensional stability of mouthguards during use.
• To identify superior materials for mouthguard fabrication.

Main Methods:

• Fabricated mouthguards from poly (vinyl acetate-ethylene) copolymer clear thermoplastic, polyurethane, and laminated thermoplastic.
• Mouthguards were fitted on 40 members of the UCLA football team.
• Eleven measurements assessed dimensional changes in mouthguards after wear, followed by statistical analysis.

Main Results:

• Polyurethane mouthguards exhibited greater dimensional changes than clear thermoplastic mouthguards.
• Laminated thermoplastic mouthguards demonstrated significantly less dimensional change compared to both clear thermoplastic and polyurethane materials.
• Material type is a key factor in mouthguard dimensional stability.

Conclusions:

• Laminated thermoplastic materials offer superior dimensional stability for mouthguards compared to other tested materials.
• This research provides valuable data for selecting optimal materials to enhance mouthguard efficacy.
• Improved mouthguard materials can further reduce orofacial injuries in athletes.