Easy fabrication of a new type of mouthguard incorporating a hard insert and space and offering improved shock absorption ability

The positive effects of wearing a mouthguard have been indicated in various epidemiological surveys and experiments, and their usage appears to be increasing in many sports. However, many preventable sports-related dental injuries still occur even with the use of a conventional mouthguard. We have developed a mouthguard (the HardSpace mouthguard) with sufficient injury prevention ability (more than 95% shock absorption ability against impact with a steel ball carrying 15.2 kg m(2) S(-2) potential energy) and ease of clinical application. This mouthguard consists of an outer and an inner EVA layer and a middle layer of acrylic resin (hard insert), with a space to prevent contact between the inner surface of the mouthguard and the buccal surfaces of the maxillary front teeth or teeth already weakened through prior damage or treatment. The purpose of this article is to describe the method by which the HardSpace mouthguard may easily be fabricated. We believe that this new type of mouthguard has the potential to reduce sports-related dental injuries.