Effect of Shortening the Palatal Extension of the Mouthguard on the Degree of Satisfaction of Water Polo Players

May 24, 2022 updated by: Jordi Martinez-Gomis, University of Barcelona

Effect of Shortening the Palatal Extension of the Mouthguard on the Degree of Satisfaction of Water Polo Players: A Randomized Crossover Study

This study assessed the influence of a reduction of the palate extension of a custom-made mouthguard on the degree of satisfaction of elite water polo players. Eighteen water polo players wore a custom-made conventional mouthguard or a reduced palate extension mouthguard during the training sessions and for competing for two weeks. The sequence was randomized to obtain one-half of the participants started the first week wearing the conventional mouthguard, and the other half wearing the shortened mouthguard. The participants rated the degree of discomfort in reference to speech, breathing, swallowing, nauseas/vomiting, pressure/pain, loosening, aesthetics, and athletic performance, in a 10-point scale, considering 0 no discomfort and 10 maximum discomfort. After each session, players also rated the perception of protection and the degree of satisfaction in a 10-point scale, considering 0 no protection/satisfaction and 10 maximum protection/satisfaction.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This crossover intervention study aimed to assess the influence of a reduction of the palate extension of a custom-made mouthguard on the degree of satisfaction of elite water polo players. Eighteen water polo players participated in this study. Two different custom-made mouthguards were made, a conventional one and a reduced palate extension mouthguard. They wore them during the training sessions and for competing one type of mouthguard for the first and fourth week and the other type of mouthguard for the second and third week. The sequence was randomized to obtain one-half of the participants started the first week wearing the conventional mouthguard, and the other half wearing the shortened mouthguard. The participants rated the degree of discomfort or inconvenience in reference to speech, breathing, swallowing, nauseas/vomiting, pressure/pain, loosening, aesthetics, and athletic performance, in a 10-point scale, considering 0 no discomfort/inconvenience and 10 maximum discomfort/inconvenience. After each session, players also rated the perception of protection and the degree of satisfaction in a 10-point scale, considering 0 no protection/satisfaction and 10 maximum protection/satisfaction.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
18

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Spain
    • Barcelona
      • L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain, 08907
        • Jordi Martinez-Gomis

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • water polo players playing in maximum Spanish category for the season 2017-2018
  • Obtaining written informed consent for participating in the project (model consent form)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Players with dental caries, with periodontitis or with temporomandibular joint pain

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Conventional mouthguard
Use of a conventional custom-made mouthguard while playing water polo for two weeks. The conventional mouthguard is designed with the palatal margin at 6 mm from the cervical line.
Device: Use of conventional mouthguard
Use of a conventional custom-made mouthguard while playing water polo
Active Comparator: Shortened mouthguard
Use of a shortened custom-made mouthguard while playing water polo for two weeks. The shortened mouthguard is designed with the palatal margin at 2 mm from the cervical line.
Device: Use of shortened mouthguard
Use of a shortened custom-made mouthguard while playing water polo

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Degree of satisfaction with the mouthguard
Time Frame: Weeks 1-4
Participant satisfaction was assessed by asking the question "How satisfied are you with your mouthguard?" using a 0-10 point scale, considering 0= totally dissatisfied and 10= totally satisfied. Players rated the mouthguard just after each training session or after each match.
Weeks 1-4

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Degree of interference on speech while using the mouthguard
Time Frame: Weeks 1-4
The degree of interference on speech while using the mouthguard was assessed by asking the question "How much do you think wearing the mouthguard interferes your ability to speech?" using a 0-10 point scale (considering 0= Not at all to 10= very much). Players rated the mouthguard just after each training session or after each match.
Weeks 1-4
Degree of interference on breathing while using the mouthguard
Time Frame: Weeks 1-4
The degree of interference on breathing while using the mouthguard was assessed by asking the question "How much do you think wearing the mouthguard interferes your ability to breath?" using a 0-10 point scale (considering 0= Not at all to 10= very much). Players rated the mouthguard just after each training session or after each match.
Weeks 1-4
Degree of interference on swallowing while using the mouthguard
Time Frame: Weeks 1-4
The degree of interference on swallowing while using the mouthguard was assessed by asking the question "How much do you think wearing the mouthguard interferes your ability to swallow?" using a 0-10 point scale (considering 0= Not at all to 10= very much). Players rated the mouthguard just after each training session or after each match.
Weeks 1-4
Degree of discomfort regarding the gag reflex while using the mouthguard
Time Frame: Weeks 1-4
The degree of discomfort regarding the gag reflex while using the mouthguard was assessed by asking the question "How much do you think wearing the mouthguard causes a gag reflex?" using a 0-10 point scale (considering 0= Not at all to 10= very much). Players rated the mouthguard just after each training session or after each match.
Weeks 1-4
Degree of discomfort because the mouthguard fits too tight
Time Frame: Weeks 1-4
The degree of discomfort because the mouthguard fits too tight was assessed by asking the question "How much do you think the mouthguard fits too tight?" using a 0-10 point scale (considering 0= Not at all to 10= very much). Players rated the mouthguard just after each training session or after each match.
Weeks 1-4
Degree of discomfort because the mouthguard fits too loose
Time Frame: Weeks 1-4
The degree of discomfort because the mouthguard fits too loose was assessed by asking the question "How much do you think the mouthguard fits too loose?" using a 0-10 point scale (considering 0= Not at all to 10= very much). Players rated the mouthguard just after each training session or after each match.
Weeks 1-4
Degree of interference on aesthetics while using the mouthguard
Time Frame: Weeks 1-4
The degree of interference on aesthetics while using the mouthguard was assessed by asking the question "How much do you think wearing the mouthguard interferes on aesthetics?" using a 0-10 point scale (considering 0= Not at all to 10= very much). Players rated the mouthguard just after each training session or after each match.
Weeks 1-4
Degree of interference on athletic performance while using the mouthguard
Time Frame: Weeks 1-4
The degree of interference on athletic performance while using the mouthguard was assessed by asking the question "How much do you think wearing the mouthguard interferes athletic performance?" using a 0-10 point scale (considering 0= Not at all to 10= very much). Players rated the mouthguard just after each training session or after each match.
Weeks 1-4
Degree of protection with the mouthguard
Time Frame: Weeks 1-4
The degree of protection perceived by the participant was assessed by asking the question "How much do you feel protected when you are wearing the mouthguard?" using a 0-10 point scale (considering 0= Not at all to 10= very much). Players rated the mouthguard just after each training session or after each match.
Weeks 1-4

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Barcelona

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 1, 2018

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 15, 2018

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 15, 2018

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 10, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 22, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
September 26, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 27, 2022

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 24, 2022

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • HOUB2018/004

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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