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Mouthguard Protection

Mouthguards protect against concussions and neck injuries by serving as a shock absorber. The force of a hit is distributed over all the teeth, which diminishes 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. All mouthguards fabricated by Sportsguard Laboratories, Inc. are designed with the proper thickness of material between the teeth.

 

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)

Concussions

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 less than 15 minutes.

Grade 2 Concussion
Definition: Transient confusion, no loss of consciousness, and a duration of mental status abnormalities of longer than 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 pictures to the right illustrate the protective effects of a properly fitted mouthguard.

The picture on the left shows very little separation of the condyle and the base of the skull without a properly fitted mouthguard. The picture on 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.
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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/designed professionally made mouthguard.

Athletes involved in contact sports have about a 10% chance of an oralfacial injury per season – resulting in a 35-65% chance during their 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.

 

Without Mouthguard

Without Mouthguard
Note separation of the condyle and base of the skull is very slight.

  

Skull with Mouthguard

With Mouthguard
Note the proper separation of the condyle and base of the skull

 

 
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