A new study by researchers at the Academy of General Dentistry found that athletes who used custom-fitted mouthguards suffered fewer concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) than athletes who wore over-the-counter mouthguards.
For their study, authors Winters and DeMont separated 412 male high school athletes from six area high schools into two groups. The first group of 220 players wore custom-fitted mouthguards, while the second group of 192 players wore an OTC mouthguard. All players wore the same type of football helmet, and every player and coach was given the same set of instructions about reporting and management of head injuries.
Researchers recorded data any time a mild or severe head injury occurred during practice or in a game. One of the main data points researchers focused on was the thickness of the mouthguard at the time of injury. After collecting all the data, researchers uncovered:
- The average thickness of custom-fitted mouthguards at the beginning of the season was 3.5 mm.
- The average thickness of OTC mouthguards was 1.65 mm at the start of the season.
- There were 24 documented head injuries throughout the season.
- 16 players who suffered a head injury were wearing an OTC mouthguard. The other eight were wearing custom-fitted mouthguards.
- 3.6% of players with a custom-fitted mouthguard suffered a concussion/TBI, while 8.3% of players with an OTC suffered a similar injury.
Mouthguard Conclusions
The authors note that previous studies have already shown that wearing a mouthguard during athletic activity can reduce the likelihood of suffering a head injury, but they add that there’s been little research into which mouthguards are best. The authors believe their study shows conclusively that parents and athletic directors should recommend their athletes seek out custom-fitted mouthguards if they want to reduce the incidence of head trauma.
“The results of the current study appear to support previous findings that wearing a custom-fitted mouthguard may reduce the incidence of mild TBI/concussion in high school football athletes,” the authors conclude. ”The current study also suggests that custom mouthguards should have at least a 3 mm thickness in the posterior occlusal area to statistically reduce the incidence of mild TBI/concussion in high school football athletes.”
Dr. Silverman comments
This is a great study, but the results are not earth shattering. It’s logical that a more padded mouthguard will offer more protection than less padded counterparts.
The results make it clear that it’s worth it to wear a mouthguard. Spending a little more on a custom-fitted mouthguard is a small price to pay to significantly reduce your child’s likelihood of suffering a traumatic brain injury or concussion.
