Mouthguards & Concussions

Mouthguards provide protection to the athlete in three different ways. Mouthguards protect against concussions by serving:

• As a shock absorber.
• They protect against neck injuries.
• They protect the teeth by distributing the force of a blow over all the teeth and diminishing contact between the mandible (lower jaw) and the maxilla (upper jaw).

The most important function of the mouthguard is in preventing of concussions and brain injuries (Witzig, 1992). A mouthguard with the proper thickness of 3 to 5 mm between the teeth can reduce the rate of concussion by preventing the condyle (lower jaw hinge) from being forced into the base of the brain (temporal bone) at impact. Ninety five percent of all football concussions are transmitted through the mandible to the brain (Witzig, 1992). The use of mouthguards should be encouraged in all contact sports as the most important value of the mouthguard is the concussion saving effect following impact to the mandible (Stenger, 1964).

All mouthguards (Bioguard, GAMEguard, and GAMEguard Plus) fabricated by Sportsguard Laboratories, Inc. are designed with the proper thickness of material between the teeth. 

A concussion is defined as head trauma-induced alteration in mental status that may or may not involve loss of consciousness. Definitions for each category are presented below.

Grade 1 Concussion
Definition: Transient confusion, no loss of consciousness, and a duration of mental status abnormalities of <15 minutes.

Grade 2 Concussion
Definition: Transient confusion, no loss of  consciousness, and a duration of mental status abnormalities of >15 minutes.

Grade 3 Concussion
Definition: Loss of consciousness, either brief (seconds) or prolonged (minutes or longer). Source: Qualify Standards Subcommittee, American Academy of Neurology

The Most important function of the mouthguard is in the prevention of concussion and brain injuries (Witzig, 1992).

The pictures below illustrate the protective effects of a properly fitted mouthguard. The picture to the left shows the separation of the condyle and the base of the skull without a properly fitted mouthguard. The picture to the right shows the separation of the condyle and the base of the skull when a mouthguard with the proper thickness is in place. The space caused by the mouthguard acts as a buffer so the force of a blow will not be transferred to the base of the skull, thus reducing the rate of concussion.

Sport Dentistry Facts:

Dental injuries are the most common type of orofacial injury sustained during participation in sports, the majority of these injuries are preventable.

More than five million teeth are knocked out each year during sports activities.

An athlete is sixty times more likely to sustain damage to the teeth when not wearing a protective mouthguard.

The cost of a fractured tooth is many times greater than the cost of a dentist diagnosed and designed professionally made mouthguard.

Every athlete involved in contact sport has about a 10% chance per season of an orofacial injury or a 35-56% chance during an athletic career.

The cost to replant a tooth and follow up dental treatment is about $500.00.

A properly fitted mouthguard reduces the chance of sustaining a concussion from a blow to the jaw.

The American Dental Association recommends wearing custom mouthguards for the following sports: acrobatics, basketball, boxing, field hockey, football, gymnastics, handball, ice hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, racquetball, roller hockey, rugby, shotputting, skateboarding, skiing, skydiving, soccer, squash, surfing, volleyball, water polo, weight lifting, wrestling.

Without Mouthguard	With Mouthguard