Smart Mouthguard Technology : The Self Adjusting Mouth Guard

Smart MouthguardTechnology : The Self Adjusting Guard

Do you know about the new Smart Mouthguard Technology? Yup, sometimes we all hear about that one athlete that is being hospitalized because of mouth injury.This is where it is important that you wear Mouthguard or protective gear when doing sports that are prone to collisions. Not only protects teeth, but this mouthguard can even protect you from a more severe risk of damage to the jaw and joints and concussion.

However, various studies and studies have revealed that popular sports such as basketball, soccer, baseball, hockey and, gymnastics are lagging behind in terms of protection and awareness for the use of a mouthguard.Of all these sports, according to the “Journal of Pediatric Dentistry” about 3 times of mouth injuries occur in basketball than in soccer.

What is Mouthguard and Smart Mouthguard Technology?

A Mouthguard is a tool that is used in the mouth, usually made of plastic elastomer EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) which has soft and flexible properties such as rubber. Based on research, athletes who use a mouthguard during sports have a lower risk of mouth injury. Other research has revealed that the use of mouthguards has prevented more than 200,000 cases of oral injuries experienced by athletes each year.

However, field facts show that the potential for mouth injury is still very high even though the athlete has used mouthguard, even the use of an ineffective mouthguard will be more dangerous than not using mouthguard at all.

Research reveals that about 80% of the mouthguards that athletes use today are ineffective. There are 2 main factors that cause this, namely the use of mouthguard that exceeds the useful life and mistakes in choosing the type of effective mouthguard.

Mouthguard custom-fit

This type is considered as the bestmouthguard because it is made individually for each user so that the mouthguard can fit the tooth structure and arch jaw.

Generally, this type of mouthguard is made by a dentist who prints the user’s jaw and then the printout is sent to a dental laboratory to make a custom-fit mouthguard. Because of the specific manufacturing process, generally, the price is more expensive but it provides maximum comfort and protection.

Smart Mouthguard Technology

There are in fact some new features available for use. This newly developed mouthguard is not only design to protect the user from any harm related to mouth injury, but it is also made in order to help paramedics to exactly diagnose if anything happens to user (mostly sports player).

This new Smart Mouthguard Technology is about a mouthguard that is planted with many sensors that will include a lot of measurements. One of the main features is that this mouthguard will have the ability to sense the jaw muscle fatigue. By knowing the jaw muscle fatigue, the mouthguard will then adjust its stiffness in order to relax the jaw.

However, this Smart Mouthguard Technology is still under lab development and might be available within the next few years. So, when this product is available in the market, the realm of athletes’ medical treatment will be a lot different. Doctors will no longer need to do manual diagnose to injured athletes. All they need to do is to examine the record kept by the smart mouthguard and they can decide what treatment should be done in order to help the injured player.

Apart from the Smart Mouthguard Technology, from the way the process of making a custom-fit mouthguard in a dental laboratory, this custom-fit mouthguard product is divided into 2 namely:

1. Vacuum formed mouthguard

This type of custom-fit mouthguard is produced by heating an EVA plastic sheet until it is soft and flexible enough, then the soft plastic is vacuumed with a vacuum forming machine under which there are dental molds. So that when vacuum forming, these EVA sheets are printed perfectly in accordance with the dent molds. The disadvantage of this process is that the thickness is limited (maximum 2mm) and can only be 1 layer (single layer).

2. Laminated-pressure formed Mouthguard

This type of custom-fit mouthguard is the best and the most effective way of providing protection, using this process the mouthguard can be made up to 3-4 layers and can reach the thickness according to the desired level of protection. In foreign countries like America, you can already order on-line custom-fit mouthguard of this type. However, the Smart Mouthguard Technology could be made in either the first (vacuum) or this way.

How long is the durability of mouthguards?

Like any other sports equipments, the mouthguard has an expiry period too, and this depends on its use and care. Mouthguards that are rarely cleaned and not stored and cared for in the right way will be more easily damaged. With proper care, your mouthguard can last up to 3-5 years. The same thing might happen in Smart Mouthguard Technology in the future.

Here are the correct ways to use and maintain mouthguard or even Smart Mouthguard Technology:

1. Don’t chew your mouthguard

Chewing mouthguard will not only eliminate the protection function but also the convenience of wear. This is because mastication will cause the material to be damaged, cut and torn so that its function is reduced. In addition, it also provides space for bacteria to breed.

2. Wash properly

It is very important to wash your mouthguard every time with water or clean it with anti-bacterial tissue before and after use. Washing with water will remove the bacteria that adhere to the mouthguard. Do not wash the mouthguard with toothpaste, toothbrush or mouthwash because this can damage the mouthguard.

3. Keep it in a safe place

Don’t put your mouthguard in a dirty sports bag or put it in the bottom of your locker and crush it on other items. Make sure your mouthguard is stored in a strong and safe “dental case” and must also be avoided from long-term exposure to sunlight or other sources of heat.

In addition, mouthguard users under the age of 14 will change mouthguards more often because the size is no longer appropriate. At the age of 14 years, the size of the jaw can still develop so that the mouthguard also needs to be adjusted. But, with Smart Mouthguard Technology, the adjustment will be done by the mouthguard itself.