title: Comparison of usability properties of custom-made and standard self-adapted mouthguards.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sports-related injuries, such as those typically incurred during bicycle racing, playing football, basketball, handball, hockey, and while skiing, represent a common problem in dental practice. The use of mouthguards helps prevent such injuries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to evaluate clinical usability of custom mouthguards made of various polymers with the use of various techniques versus that of the 'boil-and-bite' mouthguards available on the market.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five types of custom-made and three types of 'boil-and-bite' mouthguards, represented by 168 devices in total, were evaluated in terms of usability with the use of a questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The usability of custom mouthguards, especially the ones molded from Corflex, was rated much higher than that of self-adapted mouthguards. Thus, it is the custom mouthguards that should be suggested to and fitted in patients prone to orofacial injuries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Prosthodontics, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Dominika
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gawlak
authors.forename: Elżbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mierzwińska-Nastalska
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mańka-Malara
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamiński
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009064:Mouth Protectors; D013177:Sports; D018677:Tooth Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: dental trauma; mouthguards; orofacial injury; sport; teeth trauma