Effect of Occlusal Accommodation of the Mouthguard on the Degree of Satisfaction of Water Polo Players
Condition: Satisfaction; Quality of Life
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This study assesses the effect of adjusting the occlusal surface of a custom-made mouthguard
      on the degree of satisfaction with a mouthguard among water polo players. Twenty-four water
      polo players will wear a custom-made conventional mouthguard and a custom-made mouthguard
      with occlusal adjustment, two weeks per mouthguard. They will wear it during training
      sessions and for competing. The sequence will be randomized to obtain one-half of the
      participants starting the first week wearing the conventional mouthguard, and the other half
      wearing the mouthguard with occlusal adjustment. The participants will rate the degree of
      interference with oral functions or discomfort in reference to speech, breathing, swallowing,
      gag reflex, fits too tight, fits too loose, aesthetics and athletic performance, in a
      10-point scale, considering 0 no discomfort/interference and 10 maximum
      discomfort/interference. After each session, players also rated the perception of protection,
      the degree of improvement on athletic performance and the degree of satisfaction in a
      10-point scale, considering 0 no protection/satisfaction and 10 maximum
      protection/satisfaction.
    

Detailed description: 
      This crossover intervention study aims to assess the effect of adjusting the occlusal surface
      of a custom-made mouthguard on the degree of satisfaction with a mouthguard among water polo
      players. Twenty-four water polo players will participate in this randomized crossover trial.
      Two different custom-made mouth guards will be made for each participant, a conventional one
      and an occlusal-adjusted mouthguard. Both types of mouthguard will be fabricated using a
      pressure molding device and 4-mm ethyl vinyl acetate foils. The conventional mouth guards
      will be made at 2 mm from the full depth of the labial sulcus, covering the second maxillary
      molar, and with the palatal margin extending 2 mm from the cervical line. To fabricate the
      occlusal adjusted mouthguard a second 2-mm foil of ethyl vinyl acetate will be formed over
      the initial 4-mm layer. The maxillary and mandibular casts mounted to an articulator using an
      inter occlusal record will facilitate the accommodation of the occlusal surface to the
      antagonistic teeth. The participants will be instructed to wear the mouth guards during
      training sessions and competitions. The sequence of use will be randomized to obtain one half
      of the participants beginning the first and the fourth week wearing the conventional
      mouthguard and the second and the third wearing the occlusal-adjusted mouthguard. The other
      half will start wearing the first and the fourth week the mouthguard with occlusal-adjusted
      mouthguard and the second and third week wearing the conventional mouthguard. The
      participants will evaluate on a 10-point scale for discomfort (gag reflex, fits too tight,
      fits too loose), interference with functions (speech, breathing, swallowing, aesthetics, and
      athletic performance), protection, and general satisfaction after each training session or
      match.
    

Intervention name(s): Conventional Mouthguard; Occlusal-adjusted Mouthguard
Intervention type(s): Device; Device
Intervention description(s): Use of a conventional custom-made mouthguard while playing water polo; Use of an occlusal-adjusted custom-made mouthguard while playing water polo
Intervention MeSH terms: Salicylic Acid
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Other