New fabrication method to maintain proper mouthguard thickness.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of layering a second piece of ethylene vinyl acetate on the original sheet before fabrication to maintain the thickness of vacuum-formed mouthguards.

Materials And Methods: Two methods were used to form mouthguards. In the first, a 3.8-mm ethylene vinyl acetate sheet was laminated after 3.0-mm ethylene vinyl acetate sheet was formed at the anterior teeth area. In the second, a second piece of 3.0-mm sheet was layered on the original 3.8-mm sheet in the region mounted on the anterior teeth. Mouthguard thickness at specific sites on the central incisors and first molars was measured. The differences in mouthguard thickness according to measurement regions and forming methods were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance and a post hoc test (Bonferroni method).

Results: Mouthguard thickness differed significantly among the measurement regions (P < 0.01). Mean thickness at the central incisors was significantly greater with the sheet-layering method (5.5 mm) than with the laminate method (3.9 mm) (P < 0.01).

Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that adding a second layer of ethylene vinyl acetate to the original sheet effectively maintained the thickness of the mouthguard. This method is effective to maintain the mouthguard thickness and cost-effective method.