Predictive Factors of Kinematics in Traumatic Brain Injury from Head Impacts Based on Statistical Interpretation.

Brain tissue deformation resulting from head impacts is primarily caused by rotation and can lead to traumatic brain injury. To quantify brain injury risk based on measurements of kinematics on the head, finite element (FE) models and various brain injury criteria based on different factors of these kinematics have been developed, but the contribution of different kinematic factors has not been comprehensively analyzed across different types of head impacts in a data-driven manner. To better design brain injury criteria, the predictive power of rotational kinematics factors, which are different in (1) the derivative order (angular velocity, angular acceleration, angular jerk), (2) the direction and (3) the power (e.g., square-rooted, squared, cubic) of the angular velocity, were analyzed based on different datasets including laboratory impacts, American football, mixed martial arts (MMA), NHTSA automobile crashworthiness tests and NASCAR crash events. Ordinary least squares regressions were built from kinematics factors to the 95% maximum principal strain (MPS95), and we compared zero-order correlation coefficients, structure coefficients, commonality analysis, and dominance analysis. The angular acceleration, the magnitude and the first power factors showed the highest predictive power for the majority of impacts including laboratory impacts, American football impacts, with few exceptions (angular velocity for MMA and NASCAR impacts). The predictive power of rotational kinematics about three directions (x: posterior-to-anterior, y: left-to-right, z: superior-to-inferior) of kinematics varied with different sports and types of head impacts.

Injuries to the Stomatognathic System in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Athletes.

As a contact sport, Brazilian jiu-jitsu requires the fighter to expose his/her stomatognathic system to the adversary, making him/her more susceptible to oral and maxillofacial injuries and disorders. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of injuries and disorders of the stomatognathic system and associated factors among practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. A total of 179 athletes were interviewed and submitted to a physical examination. The majority was male, in the beginner category and had participated in competitions. Athletes with more experience had a higher frequency of orofacial injuries (PR = 1.77; 95% CI: 1.01-1.38), such as oral mucous lacerations and skin abrasions in the facial region, which mainly occurred during training sessions. A mouthguard is not mandatory for the sport and many athletes (both beginners and more experienced athletes) do not use one due to difficulty breathing with the device. A prefabricated (type II) mouthguard was the most common among the athletes who used this equipment, although it does not offer adequate protection. Athletes on more advanced levels wore mouthguards significantly more often (PR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.11-2.45). In conclusion, more experienced jiu-jitsu athletes had a higher frequency of orofacial injuries, such as lacerations and abrasions, and are more likely to wear a mouthguard. However, longitudinal studies are needed in order to assess the possible causes and risks.

Atitudes imediatas dos praticantes de artes marciais frente à avulsão dentária / Immediate attitudes of martial arts practitioners against dental avulsion

Objetivo: O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o nível de conhecimento dos praticantes de artes marciais da cidade de Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará, sobre avulsão dentária e como proceder mediante aos cuidados imediatos frente à ocorrência de avulsão dentária.Métodos: Um estudo transversal de carácter exploratório foi realizado com uma amostra de conveniência de 60 praticantes de artes marciais. As informações sobre avulsão dentária, experiências e condutas emergenciais frente a avulsão dentária e uso de protetores bucais e equipamentos de proteção foram coletadas através de um questionário autoaplicado. As análises dos dados envolveram estatísticas descritivas de frequência absoluta e relativa de todas as variáveis do estudo. Resultados: A média de idade dos participantes foi de 26,88 anos (DP ± 5,06), sendo 73,3% (n = 44) pertencentes ao sexo masculino. Do total de praticantes de artes marciais entrevistados, 48% praticavam Muay Thai e 18% Taekwondo. O estudo mostrou que apesar de 61,7% do total de entrevistados terem relatado saber o que era traumatismo dentário e 23,3% destes terem presenciado algum tipo de trauma dentário, 85,0% relataram não saber como proceder mediante os casos de avulsão. Entretanto, 95,0% consideraram esta informação como necessária para a prática de esportes. A maioria dos indivíduos praticantes de artes marciais (63,3%) relatou utilizar protetores bucais. Conclusão: A maioria dos praticantes de artes marciais entrevistados relatou saber o que o era traumatismo dentário, mas desconheciam como proceder diante dos casos de avulsão. A maioria dos entrevistados reconhecem a importância e afirmaram utilizar protetores bucais e equipamentos de proteção individual durante as práticas desportivas. (AU)

Aim:The present study sought to evaluate the level of knowledge of martial arts practitioners in the city of Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará, against dental avulsion and how to proceed through immediate care in the event of dental avulsion. Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 60 martial arts practitioners. Information on dental avulsion, experiences, and emergency behaviors against dental avulsion, as well as the use of mouth guards and protective equipment, were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics of the absolute and relative frequency of all variables in the study. Results: The mean age of the participants was 26.88 years (SD ± 5.06), of which 73.3% (n = 44) were males. Of the total number of martial arts practitioners, 48% practiced Muay Thai and 18% Taekwondo. The study showed that 61.7% of the respondents said they had knowledge about what dental trauma was, although only 23.3% had witnessed some type of dental trauma. In addition, 85.0% have never received guidance on how to proceed in cases of avulsion, but 95.0% consider this information to be necessary for the practice of sports. The majority of the individuals who practice martial arts (63.3%) use mouth guards. Conclusion: It was concluded that most of the martial arts practitioners interviewed in the present study do not have knowledge about dental avulsion and about the necessary immediate procedures in the event of dental avulsion. However, most of participants use mouth guards, wear personal protective equipment, and recognize the importance of these during sports practices. (AU)

The Fifth Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Turkmenistan - A dentist's perspective.

This article is a personal view of two dentists who were invited to attend the recent Fifth Asian World Indoor and Martial Arts Championships in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. We relate the issues of getting to the venue, challenges during our stay and the role of the dentist in the sporting arena.

Knowledge and attitudes about sports-related dental injuries and mouthguard use in young athletes in four different contact sports-water polo, karate, taekwondo and handball.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The increasing popularity of participating in sports activities among children and adolescents has increased the risk of sports-related orofacial and dental injuries. Therefore, it is important to establish efficient preventive strategies regarding sports-related dental trauma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of sports-related dental injuries in young athletes and to compare the frequency of such injuries between high-risk and medium-risk sports, along with assessing athletes' attitudes and habits regarding mouthguard use. METHODS: A total of 229 young athletes from four different sports (water polo (n = 59), karate (n = 58), taekwondo (n = 57) and handball (n = 55)) participated in this study. A standardized questionnaire about the frequency of orofacial and dental injuries was used. Questions were also asked about athletes' habits related to mouthguard use. RESULTS: Mean age of the participants was 12.9 ± 3.2 years, and the average time of playing experience was 4.8 ± 3.1 years. Orofacial injury had been experienced by 58 athletes (25.3%), while 31 athletes (13.5%) suffered dental injury. Higher rate of dental injuries was observed in water polo (18.6%), karate (17.2%) and handball (21.8%) than in taekwondo (3.5%) (P = .035). Most participants were aware of mouthguards for dental trauma prevention and considered them efficient for preventing dental injuries during sports activities, but only 94 (41%) used them. There was a statistically significant difference in the use of mouthguards between taekwondo (73.7%) and karate (70.7%) players compared to handball (14.5%) and water polo players (5.1%) (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Handball and water polo had similarly high occurrence of dental trauma as karate, a high-risk martial art sport. Therefore, the classification of sports according to the risk of dental trauma should be reconsidered. It would be beneficial to make wearing a mouthguard mandatory in all high-risk sports, as well as in those with medium-risk for dental injuries.

The use of a custom-made mouthguard stabilizes the electromyographic activity of the masticatory muscles among Karate-Do athletes.

AIMS: To analyze and compare the electromyographic activity of the temporal (anterior portion) and masseter muscles among Karate-Do athletes before and after training, with and without the use of a mouthguard. METHODS: Twenty athletes (14 males and 6 females) with a mean age of 23.7 ± 7.5 years participated. They had surface electromyography recordings taken of their bilateral temporal and masseter muscles before and after training under the following conditions: no mouthguard, with a ready-made mouthguard, and with a custom-made mouthguard. Activity was examined at mandibular rest, while clenching, and at maximum voluntary contraction. The data were normalized using the mean maximum voluntary contraction. RESULTS: The right (p = 0.005) and left (p = 0.015) temporal muscles showed significantly lower electromyographic activity with a custom-made mouthguard compared with no mouthguard after training while clenching. The electromyographic activity of the temporal and masseter muscles did not show significant differences when tested at mandibular rest and while clenching before or after training with a custom-made mouthguard (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The use of a custom-made mouthguard preserved participants' electromyographic profiles before and after training; thus, they allow for stable muscle activity during the training of Karate-Do athletes.

Avaliação dos métodos de higienização sobre S. mutans dos protetores bucais / Evaluation of cleaning methods on custom-made mouthguards of S. mutans

Objetivo: avaliar a eficácia de três diferentes métodos de higienização sobre cepas de S.mutans dos protetores bucais feitos sob medida: dentifrício fluoretado, detergente neutro eclorexidina. Materiais e Métodos: foram confeccionados 30 protetores bucais feitos sob medida com placas de silicone de 3 mm que foram contaminados em meio de sobrevivência BHI (BrainHeart Infusion) suplementado com 1% de glicose e sacarose e 0,5% de extrato de levedura e incubados em jarra de anaerobiose a 37°C em estufa bacteriológica por 15 dias. O meio foi renovado a cada 24 horas. Após a contaminação, foi feita a coleta dos protetores bucais, esfregaço e plaqueamento na superfície do meio de cultura mitis salivarius com bacitracina. Os protetores foram higienizados com escova dental, com três diferentes meios de higienização:dentifrício fluoretado, detergente neutro e clorexidina e, após a higienização foram submetidos a uma nova coleta, esfregaço e plaqueamento. Após incubação, foi feita a contagem do total de bactérias viáveis. Os resultados obtidos foram submetidos à análise estatística e ao teste não paramétrico de Wilcoxon. Resultados: houve redução microbiana significativa da contagem deS. mutans utilizando clorexidina e detergente (p<0.05). Não houve diferença significante na contagem antes e depois utilizando o dentifrício (p>0.05). Conclusão: a clorexidina e o detergente podem ser utilizados para desinfecção dos protetores bucais.

Objective: The effect of three different cleaning methods on custom-made mouth guards’strains of S. mutans: fluoridated tooth paste, neutral detergent and chlorhexidine. Materials and Methods: it were made 30 mouthguards custom-made with 3mm silicone slabs that have been subjected to a microbiological processing in supplemented BHI (Brain Heart Infusion). They were in cubated in anaerobic jar at 37 ° bacteriological green house for 15 days, changing the medium every 24 hours. After the contamination, samples were drawn and it was made the collection, smear and plating on surface of the culture medium mitis salivarius with bacitracin and then they were cleaned with tooth brush with three different modes of cleaning: chlorhexidine, neutral detergent and fluoridated tooth paste. After incubation, the count was made of total viable bacteria. The results were statistically analyzed by the Wilcoxon non-parametric test. Results: there wasa significant reduction in microbial counts before and after using chlorhexidine and detergent (p<0.05). There wasn’t significant difference in the count before and after using the tooth paste(p>0.05). Conclusion: chlorhexidine and detergent can be used for disinfection of mouth guards

[Evaluating the effectiveness of the new mouthguard design in athletes involved in power sports]. / Otsenka effektivnosti primeneniya novoi konstruktsii zubnoi shiny u sportsmenov, zanimayushchikhsya silovymi vidami sporta.

The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of the new mouthguard design for functional rehabilitation of dental system in athletes involved in contact power sports. The functional state of dental system was evaluated by interferential electromyography of masticatory muscles and Doppler ultrasound examination of periodontal tissues. Before mouthguard use the asynchrony of masticatory muscles was seen which was released after the mouthguard application: electromyographic activity of the left and right masticatory muscles was balanced and the decrease in biopotentials amplitude was found out. The mouthguard also caused no functional disorders in periodontal tissues.

Prevalence and prevention of dental injuries in young taekwondo athletes in Croatia.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of dental and facial injuries, the habit of wearing mouthguard and the awareness regarding injury prevention and first aid after tooth avulsion among young taekwondo athletes in Croatia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey on a sample of 484 taekwondo athletes was conducted, which included 271 male (56%) and 213 female (44%) athletes aged between 8 and 28 years. The questionnaire submitted to the athletes contained 15 questions about dental trauma, use of mouthguard, dental trauma prevention, level of awareness about tooth avulsion and replantation and disturbances associated with mouthguard use. Collected data were evaluated according to gender, age groups and duration of actively engagement in taekwondo. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were used for comparisons between groups. RESULTS: From the survey 300 (62%) of 484 athletes had sustained one serious injury and 103 (21%) had sustained an orofacial injury, while 194 (40%) had observed another player sustaining a dental injury. Higher number of orofacial injuries was observed in males (24%) than in females (18%). Furthermore, 98 (20%) athletes have experienced one or more dental injuries, and out of these 98 suffering dental injury 60 were male (61%) and 38 were female (39%). The frequency of orofacial injuries in the older group (42%) is higher than in three younger groups (younger cadets 25%; cadets 13%; juniors 20%) (p<0.05). Mouthguard wearing was recorded in 465 athletes (96%), 47.1% of them wear stock mouthguard, 47.6% wear boil and bite mouthguard, but only 5.3% were custom-made mouthguards. Most of them (96%) consider that mouthguards are useful for injury prevention in taekwondo. CONCLUSION: The results of this survey show that dental and orofacial injuries occur in taekwondo in all age groups but mostly in the senior group. Taekwondo players know the importance of mouthguard use, but only 5% use custom made mouthguards. This is not adequate for dental injury prevention and highlights the important role of dental professional in education of athletes for advocating the use of custom made mouthguards.

The recommendation and provision of mouthguards: a survey of consultant orthodontists in the UK.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the recommendation and provision of mouthguards for orthodontic patients attending hospital departments in the UK. DESIGN: Prospective, online questionnaire. SETTING: Hospital orthodontic departments in the UK. PARTICIPANTS: In total, 196 out of 254 consultant orthodontists completed a questionnaire (response rate 77%). METHOD: Consultants were asked to complete an online questionnaire regarding the recommendation and provision of mouthguards in their units. RESULTS: The majority of consultants (73%) routinely advise the use of a mouthguard to patients wearing fixed appliances whilst playing contact sports. Adaptable mouthguards are most frequently recommended, followed by custom-made and stock mouthguards. One hundred and eight consultants (55%) stated that they were able to provide custom-made mouthguards in their units. Thirty-four consultants charged for the service, at an average price of £37. The majority of consultants (63%) did not provide adaptable or stock mouthguards. In departments where adaptable or stock mouthguards were sold, the average price was £13. Thirty-eight consultants (20%) did not routinely give advice regarding the lifespan, or the possible need to replace the mouthguard. CONCLUSIONS: The recommendation and provision of mouthguards varies amongst consultants. The majority of consultant orthodontists provide custom-made mouthguards.

Prospective, randomized, double-blind, clinical evaluation of Aloe vera Barbadensis, applied in combination with a tongue protector to treat burning mouth syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of aloe vera (AV) applied in combination with a tongue protector, comparing this with a placebo. METHODS: A total of 75 patients with burning mouth syndrome (BMS) were divided into three groups randomly: Group I (tongue protector three times a day), Group II (tongue protector and 0.5 ml AV at 70% three times a day) and Group III (tongue protector and 0.5 ml placebo three times a day). Symptoms were evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS), while patient psychological profiles were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety-Depression scale and their quality of life using the Oral Health Impact Profile 49 (OHIP-49). Treatment continued for 3 months. RESULTS: Visual analogue scale pain values improved for all three study groups but without statistically significant differences between the groups (P = 0.210). Regarding quality of life, no significant differences were found between groups with the exception of the OHIP-49 score for handicap. The overall clinical improvement was greater for Group II, with a difference almost reaching significance. CONCLUSIONS: The concomitant prescription of tongue protector and AV is effective for treating patients with BMS.

Mouthguard use in Korean Taekwondo athletes - awareness and attitude

PURPOSE: A survey was performed to identify the level of mouthguard use, awareness, wearability issues and attitude toward mouthguard among elite Korean Taewondo athletes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Survey questionnaires were given to 152 athletes participating in the Korea National Taekwondo team selection event for the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games. Questionnaires consisted of three sections, mouthguard awareness, reasons for not wearing mouthguard and the last section to test the level of acceptance on current mouthguard and when the identified problems were resolved. For analyzing difference among response, chi2 test was used and significant level (alpha) was set up as 0.05. RESULTS: Responses in each of items showed significant difference (P<.001). Majority of response regarding each question: Majority of respondents believed that mouthguard were effective in preventing injuries (36.4%) but the result suggested that the provision of information on mouthguard to athletes was inadequate (44.0%) and the result showed that respondents were not greatly interested or concerned in relation to the mandatory mouthguard rule (31.6%). Although the responses on the level of comfort and wearability of mouthguard were negative (34.8%), athletes were positively willing to wear mouthguard if the problems rectified (51.2%). CONCLUSION: Considering the high level of willingness to wear mouthguard if the problems rectified, it is thought that together with efforts in providing more mouthguard information, the work of sports dentistry to research and improve mouthguard will be invaluable in promoting mouthguard to more athletes.

Appliance design and application.

Today's dental practice can increase patient satisfaction, as well as profitability, through the use of emerging technologies in the realm of dental appliances. Appliances can aid in an array of pathologies; however, many dentists struggle in their prescription of appliances due to a lack of scientific literature on the devices themselves. Blindly choosing an appliance can create a legal liability; therefore, undergirding selection with accurate information is critical for proper use and quality of care. The aim of this article is to serve as a quick reference for the practitioner in his selection of the appropriate dental device.

Ocorrência de injúrias orofaciais em praticantes de esportes de luta / Orofacial injuries in combat sports practitioners

Objetivo: Analisar a ocorrência de lesões orofaciais em praticantes de esportes de luta. Método: Realizou-se um estudo transversal, descritivo-analítico, com abordagem indutiva e técnica de pesquisa a observação direta extensiva. A amostra do tipo não probabilística foi composta por 85 praticantes de esportes de luta matriculados em academias de Campina Grande-PB. Os dados foram coletados mediante a aplicação de um questionário composto por perguntas abertas e fechadas, dicotômicas e de múltipla escolha. As variáveis analisadas foram: sexo, idade, número e tipo de esporte praticado, importância e uso do protetor bucal, tipo de protetor bucal (pré-fabricado, termoplástico ou confeccionado pelo cirurgião-dentista), ocorrência de lesão associada à prática esportiva, região acometida e injúria na cavidade bucal. Os dados foram apresentados por meio da estatística descritiva. Para a análise bivariada utilizou-se os testes Exato de Fisher e Qui-quadrado (p menor que 0,05%). Resultados: A maioria dos atletas eram homens (76,5%), sendo a média de idade de 27,4 anos (±8,7). Quanto ao número de esportes, observou-se que a maioria fazia um único esporte de luta (90,6%). No que concerne ao tipo de esporte, verificou-se um predomínio do boxe (46,2%), seguido do Jiu-Jitsu (25,8%). A quase totalidade dos indivíduos (95,3%) afirmou conhecer a importância dos protetores bucais, porém apenas 41,7% relataram utilizá-lo, durante a prática esportiva existindo diferença estatisticamente significante entre o uso e o sexo do atleta (P=0,023). O tipo de protetor bucal mais utilizado foi o termoplástico (51,4%). Com relação à ocorrência de lesões nas distintas regiões do corpo, 43,5% afirmaram ter sofrido injúrias, existindo associação entre o sexo e a presença de lesão (P=0,002). Lesões na cavidade bucal foram reportadas por 16,5% dos praticantes, sendo todos do sexo masculino, existindo, portanto, associação estatisticamente significante entre o sexo e a presença de lesões na cavidade bucal (P=0,016). Conclusão: Há um predomínio do sexo masculino entre os atletas de esportes de luta, porém nem todos fazem uso dos protetores bucais durante a prática esportiva, apesar da alta ocorrência de injúrias nas regiões da cabeça e face. As lesões na cavidade bucal apresentaram uma baixa frequência nesses desportistas.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of orofacial injuries among combat sports practitioners. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted in a sample of 85 combat sports practitioners from fitness gyms in the city of Campina Grande, PB, Brazil. The data were collected using a questionnaire applied to the participants and referred to gender, age, type and number of the practiced sports, importance and use of mouthguard, type of mouthguard, occurrence of injuries related to sports practice, affected region, and oral injury. The data were processed by Epi Info 3.5.1 software and presented by descriptive statistics. Fisher's exact and chi-square tests were employed for bivariate analysis (p less than 0.05). Results: Most athletes were men (76.5%) and the mean age was 27.4 ± 8.7 years. The prevailing sports practices were boxing (46.2%) and jiu-jitsu (25.8%). Only 41.7% of the interviewers used a mouthguard during sports practice and there was a statistically significant difference for its use between the genders (p=0.023). Thermoplastic mouthguard was the most frequently used type (51.4%). Occurrence of diverse injuries in different regions of the body was reported by 43.5% of the subjects, with a statistically significant association between gender and presence of injury (p=0.002). Oral injuries were reported by 16.5% of the practitioners, all of them male, with a statistically significant association between gender and presence of oral injuries (p=0.016). Conclusion: Mouthguard is not properly used by combat sports practitioners, in spite of the high rate of injuries in the head and face region. There was a low frequency of oral injuries among these athletes.

Prevalence of dental trauma in Pan American games athletes.

The aim of this cross-sectional epidemiological survey was to assess the prevalence of dental trauma in athletes representing 42 countries competing at the most recent Pan American Games (XV Pan Am) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in July of 2007, and to determine prior use and type of mouthguard among this group of athletes. The examiners participated in standardization and calibration training sessions before the field phase began. Invitations were sent to >5500 participating athletes competing in 41 sports and to the Medical Committee of the Pan American Sports Organization before and during the XV PAN. A convenience sample of 409 athletes was recruited. After signing an informed consent, all athletes answered a questionnaire. Data were collected at the clinical examination and recorded on a specific trauma form. The mean age of the athletes was 24.4 +/- 5.3 years. Males comprised 55% of the sample; females 45%. The prevalence of dental trauma among the athletes was 49.6% (n = 203) with no gender-based differences. Most of these injuries (63.6%) were related to activities during training or competition. Sports with the highest injury prevalence were wrestling (83.3%), boxing (73.7%), basketball (70.6%) and karate (60%). The most common injury was enamel fracture (39.8%); root fracture was the least common (0.4%). The teeth most affected were the maxillary permanent central incisors (n = 113), followed by the mandibular central incisors (n = 19). Based on the results of this study, nearly one-half of the subjects had experienced previous dental trauma; the majority related to sports activities. Furthermore, only 17% of the athletes reported prior mouthguard use; the most frequent mouthguards reported were boil-and-bite. These results suggest the importance of enhanced educational efforts and the use of properly fitted mouthguards to reduce dental trauma among athletes in international sports competition, especially in sports where mouthguards are not mandatory.

Influence of custom-made mouth guards on strength, speed and anaerobic performance of taekwondo athletes.

The purpose of this study was to test the influence of custom-made mouth guards on strength and anaerobic performance of taekwondo athletes. The study included 21 (11 male and 10 female) trained subjects participating in taekwondo. Anaerobic power and anaerobic capacity, isokinetic quadriceps and hamstring strength, handgrip strength, isometric lower extremity and back strength, 20 m sprint time, squat and counter movement jumping height were measured in two randomized conditions: with or without custom-made (CM) mouth guards. No significant differences were observed between the two conditions (with or without CM mouth guards) in 20 m sprint time, jumping tests, handgrip strength, isometric leg or back strength. On the other hand, peak power and average power in Wingate Anaerobic Test and Hamstring Isokinetic Peak Torque significantly increased as a result of wearing mouth guard (P < 0.05). In conclusion, we can suggest that taekwondo athletes can use CM mouth guards without any negative effects on their strength and anaerobic performance.

Mandibular fracture with a mouth formed mouthguard in kickboxing.

Reports of injuries caused by kickboxing, one of the contact sports that potentially causes a large number of injuries, are relatively rare. Wearing a mouthguard is obligatory in kickboxing, but the association between maxillofacial injuries and the quality of mouthguards has not been described thus far. In this article, we present a case of mandibular fracture in a 25-year-old male, who was injured during kickboxing despite wearing a mouth formed mouthguard.

Evaluation of mouthguards for the prevention of orofacial injuries during United States Army basic military training.

Beginning in January 2000, all individuals participating in basic military training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, were issued boil-and-bite mouthguards. From January 2000 to March 2001, trainees were required to wear mouthguards only for a single activity, pugil stick training. After March 2001, mouthguards were required for four activities including pugil stick training, unarmed combat, rifle/bayonet training, and the confidence/obstacle course. Dentists systematically tracked trainees who reported to the dental clinic with orofacial injuries during three periods: January 2000-March 2001 (phase 1), April-September 2001 (phase 2) and September 2002-June 2003 (phase 3). Orofacial injury rates were 3.35, 1.89 and 1.91 cases/10,000 person-years in phases 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The overall risk of an orofacial injury was 1.76 (95% confidence interval = 1.03-3.02) times higher in phase 1 compared with the combined phases 2 and 3 (P = 0.006). Thus, orofacial injury rates were lower when mouthguards were required for four training activities as opposed to one training activity. Mouthguards are now required at all five Army basic training sites when trainees are performing any of the four training activities.

Incidencia de trauma dentoalveolar en atletas de diferentes genero y categorías que usaron protectores bucales en el campeonato nacional de karate-do, El Salvador 2006 / Incidence of dentoalveolar trauma in athletes of different genders and categories who used mouth guards in the national karate-do championship, El Salvador 2006

El propósito de ésta investigación fue determinar la incidencia de trauma dentoalveolar en atletas de diferentes genero y categorías que usaron protectores bucales en el Campeonato Nacional de karate-do, El Salvador 2006. El diseño se enmarca en un estudio retrospectivo de tipo descriptivo, realizado en 214 atletas. La información se obtuvo a través de los Expedientes Clínicos Odontológicos de cada uno de los atletas de la Federación Salvadoreña de Karate-do. Los datos recabados de la Guía de Observación, fueron vaciados en una plantilla elaborada en el Programa Epi Info versión 3.4. La incidencia resultante fue de 0.35, que representa al 35% de la población total en estudio. Las lesiones de encía y mucosa fueron las más prevalente, el género masculino, fue el que presento el mayor numero de lesiones dentoalveolares durante el combate. De las tres categorías de atletas, la selección mayor, fue la que presento mayor numero de lesiones dentoalveolares. Los atletas que utilizaron protectores bucales adaptados a la cavidad oral y Preformados, presentaron mayor número de lesiones dentoalveolares, mientras que los que utilizaron protector bucal hechos a la medida no presentaron lesión. La realización del Campeonato Nacional de karate-do, El Salvador 2006, fue una oportunidad propicia para llevar a cabo esta investigación, los resultados obtenidos, representan una contribución a la Odontología deportiva en El Salvador, documentando datos epidemiológicos sobre trauma dentoalveolar en eventos deportivos como este. Otro aporte importante, fue el de comprobar que los protectores bucales hechos a la medida protegen mejor que los Adaptados a la cavidad oral y preformados.

The purpose of this research was to determine the incidence of dentoalveolar trauma in athletes of different genders and categories who used mouth guards in the National Karate-do Championship, El Salvador 2006. The design is part of a descriptive retrospective study, carried out in 214 athletes. The information was obtained through the Dental Clinical Records of each of the athletes of the Salvadoran Federation of Karate-do. The data collected from the Observation Guide were emptied into a template created in the Epi Info Program version 3.4. The resulting incidence was 0.35, which represents 35% of the total study population. The gum and mucosa lesions were the most prevalent, the male gender was the one that presented the highest number of dentoalveolar lesions during combat. Of the three categories of athletes, the largest selection was the one that presented the highest number of dentoalveolar injuries. The athletes who used mouth guards adapted to the oral cavity and preformed, presented a greater number of dentoalveolar lesions, while those who used custom mouth guards did not present injury. The holding of the National Karate-do Championship, El Salvador 2006, was a propitious opportunity to carry out this research, the results obtained represent a contribution to sports dentistry in El Salvador, documenting epidemiological data on dentoalveolar trauma in sporting events such as this. Another important contribution was to verify that custom-made mouthguards protect better than those Adapted to the oral cavity and preformed.