Occlusal Splints and Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review of Current Evidence

Leonardo Cesanelli, Gianfranco Cesaretti, Berta Ylaitė, Angelo Iovane, Antonino Bianco and Giuseppe Messina
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Leonardo Cesanelli: Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychological, Pedagogical and Educational Sciences, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Gianfranco Cesaretti: Ariminum Research & Dental Education Center, ARDEC Academy, 47923 Rimini, Italy
Berta Ylaitė: Faculty of Sport Biomedicine, Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, 44221 Kaunas, Lithuania
Angelo Iovane: Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychological, Pedagogical and Educational Sciences, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Antonino Bianco: Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychological, Pedagogical and Educational Sciences, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Giuseppe Messina: Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychological, Pedagogical and Educational Sciences, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 19, 1-10

Abstract: The role of the dento-mandibular apparatus and, in particular, occlusion and jaw position, received increased attention during last years. In the present study, we aimed to systematically review, on the light of the new potential insights, the published literature covering the occlusal splint (OS) applications, and its impact on exercise performance. A structured search was carried out including MEDLINE ® /PubMed and Scopus databases with additional integration from external sources, between March and June 2021. To meet the inclusion criteria, studies published in the English language, involving humans in vivo, published from 2000 to 2021 and that investigated the role of occlusal splints on athletes’ performance were selected. Starting from the 587 identified records, 17 items were finally included for the review. Four main aspects were considered and analyzed: (1) occlusal splint characteristics and occlusion experimental conditions, (2) jump performance, (3) maximal and explosive strength, and (4) exercise technique and biomechanics. The results of the systematic literature analysis depicted a wide heterogenicity in the experimental conditions and suggested the application of the OS as a way to improve athletes’ or individuals’ oral health, and as a potential tool to optimize marginal aspects of exercise performance.

Keywords: sport performance; occlusion; mouthguards (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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