Role and Fabrication Method of Custom-made Mouthguards for the Prevention of Athletic injuries

Posebnu skupinu orofacijalnih ozljeda cini skupina sportskih ozljeda, koje su karakteristicne po mjestu i nacinu nastanka. Sportska stomatologija je grana stomatologije vezana za prevenciju i lijecenje posljedica orofacijalnih ozljeda tijekom sportskih aktivnosti. Orofacijalne i posebno dentalne traume u sportu razlikuju se po nacinu nastanka od ostalih dentalnih trauma, a mogu se relativno lagano prevenirati. Upotrebom adekvatnih stitnika za zube znatno se smanjuje broj ozljeda dentalnih i parodontnih stuktura. U skupini intraoralnih stitnika postoje gotovi, polugotovi i individualni sportski stitnici za zube. Iako se gotovim i polugotovim stitnicima za zube izbjegava posjet stomatologu, samo individualni stitnik za zube pruža najvise u profilaksi orofacijalnih ozljeda. Svojim konstrukcijskim i tehnoloskim osobitostima najugodniji je sportasima tijekom treninga i natjecanja. Preduvjeti za nosenje stitnika za zube su dobra oralna profilaksa i izljecenje svih zubi (bez karijesa i parodontopatija). Izrađuju se najcesce na gornjem zubnom nizu. Stitnik za zube izrađuje se iz materijala koji treba zadovoljavati brojne fizikalne, mehanicke, bioloske i funkcijske zahtjeve. Prikazan je postupak izrade stitnika za zube pomocu dubinskog izvlacenja folije vakumom. Protektivna uloga stitnika za zube bila bi u prevenciji posjekotina jezika, usana i obraza usljed ozljeda ostrim incizalnim rubovima najcesce prednjih gornjih zubi, smanjenju rizika traume prednjih zubi, smanjenju mogucnosti loma donje i gornje celjusti te ostecenju stražnjih zubi i celjusnih zglobova uslijed udarca u donji rub mandibule. Sportasi trebaju biti upuceni u mogucnosti cuvanja oralnog zdravlja kao postojanje i manjih poteskoca koji su neizbježni tijekom nosenja stitnika za zube. Special group of orofacial injuries are athletic injuries which are specific according to place and way of occurence. Sports dentistry is a dental discipline associated with the prevention and treatment of consequences of orofacial injuries during sport activities. Orofacial and particularly dental athletic injuries differentiate according to way of occurence from other dental injuries and can be easly prevented. By using adequate mouthguard a number of dental and periodontal injuries is considerably reduced. There are different intraoral mouthguards: stock, mouth-formed and custom-made mouthguards. Even though with the stock and mouth-formed mouthguards a visit to the dentist is avoided, only custom-made mouthguard offer maximum in the prevention of orofacial injuries. By its construction and technological features is the most comfortable for the athletes during training and competition. Preconditions for the wear of mouthguard are good oral prophylaxis and restoration of all teeth (without caries adn parodontopathy). It is commonly fabricated on upper dental arch. Mouthguards are manufactured from the materials that should satisfy numerous physical, mechanical, biological and functional requests. Fabrication method of mouthguard by means vacuum lamination is presented. The role of mouthguard is to prevent laceration of the tongue, lips and cheeks against the sharp edges of the anterior maxillary teeth, to reduce the risk of injuries to the anterior teeth, to reduce the risk of mandibular or maxillary fractures as well as damages to the posterior teeth and temporomandibular joints following a blow delivered to the interior aspect of the mandible. Athletes should be informed about possibilities of prevention of their oral health as well as of existance of smaller difficulties which are inevitable during wear of mouthguard.