Mouthguards for the Prevention of Orofacial Injuries in Military and Sports Activities: Part 2, Effectiveness of Mouthguard for Protection From Orofacial Injuries.

This is second of a two-part series on the history and effectiveness of mouthguards (MGs) for protection from orofacial injuries. MGs are hypothesized to reduce orofacial injuries by separating the upper and lower dentation, preventing tooth fractures, redistributing and absorbing the force of direct blows to the mouth, and separating teeth from soft tissue which helps prevent lacerations and bruises. The single study on MG use in military training found that when boil-and-bite MGs were required for four training activities, orofacial injury rates were reduced 56% compared with when MGs were required for just one training activity.

Mouthguards for the Prevention of Orofacial Injuries in Military and Sports Activities: Part 1: History of Mouthguard Use.

This is the first of a two-part series on the history and effectiveness of mouthguards (MGs) for orofacial injury protection. Military studies have shown that approximately 60% of orofacial injuries are associated with military training activities and 20% to 30% with sports. MGs are hypothesized to reduce orofacial injuries by separating the upper and lower dentation, preventing tooth fractures, redistributing and absorbing the force of direct blows to the mouth, and separating teeth from soft tissue, preventing lacerations and bruises.

Effectiveness of Mouthguards for the Prevention of Orofacial Injuries and Concussions in Sports: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Sport activities can account for up to one-third of all orofacial injuries. Mouthguards (MGs) have been proposed as a way to reduce these injuries.

Objectives: To present a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of MGs for the prevention of sports-related orofacial injuries and concussions.

Development of an oxirane/acrylate interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) resin system.

Objective: Develop a hydrophobic, degradation-resistant dental restorative based on an Oxirane-Acrylate IPN System (OASys) with low shrinkage-stress to substantially extend clinical lifetime.

Methods: Unfilled OASys blends were prepared using dipenta-erythritol-hexaacrylate (DPHA) and p-cycloaliphatic-diepoxide (EP5000). Varying proportions of camphorquinone/iodonium photoinitiator, with a co-reactant oligomeric-diol, served as the experimental curing system.