Abstract
Mouthguards can reduce the risk of sports-related injuries, but the sheet material and thickness have a large effect on their efficacy and safety. This study was intended to predict the changes in thickness of molded products by clarifying the effect of the time interval between repeat moldings during the continuous use of a vacuum-forming machine. Ethylene vinyl acetate mouthguard sheets were used for thermoforming with a vacuum-forming machine. The working model was trimmed to a height of 23 mm at the maxillary central incisor and 20 mm at maxillary first molar. Five molding conditions were investigated: 1) molding was carried out after the sag at the center of the softened sheet was 15 mm (control); 2) sheet heating was started 5 min after the molding of the control (AF5-Re1); 3) sheet heating started 5 min after the molding of AF5-Re1 (AF5-Re2); 4) sheet heating started 10 min after the molding of the control (AF10-Re1); and 5) sheet heating started 10 min after the molding of AF10-Re1 (AF10-Re2). Sheet thickness after fabrication was determined for the incisal edge, labial surface, cusp, and buccal surface using a special caliper accurate to 0.1 mm. Thickness differences of the molding conditions were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance. Significant differences between the control and AF5-Re1 were observed at all measurement points (p < 0.01), but not between the control and AF10-Re1. AF10-Re2 became thinner than AF10-Re1 (p < 0.01). Reproducible molding results were obtained by waiting 10 min between the first and second moldings, but the third molded mouthguard was significantly thinner, despite this 10 min wait interval.
Highlights
Mouthguards are effective for lowering the risk of injuries such as tooth fracture during sports activities
Mouthguards can reduce the risk of sports-related injuries, but the sheet material and thickness have a large effect on their efficacy and safety
The anterior part of the sheet is prone to large variability in thickness during fabrication, and ensuring proper control of thickness of this part is necessary in order to produce effective mouthguards [6] [7] [8]
Summary
Mouthguards are effective for lowering the risk of injuries such as tooth fracture during sports activities. It is important to choose the appropriate sheet material and control the thickness of the material as these have a large effect on the efficacy and safety of mouthguards [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]. The anterior part of the sheet is prone to large variability in thickness during fabrication, and ensuring proper control of thickness of this part is necessary in order to produce effective mouthguards [6] [7] [8]. The optimal thickness of a mouthguard is difficult to control when using a conventional forming method with a single layer of thermoplastic sheet material. Methods used to produce laminated mouthguards are more effective and are not affected by dentition or occlusion. There is a need for a mouthguard fabrication method that suppresses the reduction in thickness after molding yet allows use of the same equipment for the fabrication of all mouthguards
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