It has been already confirmed that mouth guard (MG) requires to be fabricated morethinly with better shock absorption. A method of reinforcement with fiberglass wastaken to apply in MG material for improvement. The purposes of the present study are as follows; 1) evaluation a fiberglass reinforced thermoplastic MG material by itsflexural properties and the bonding strength with the base MG material which wasethylene-vinyl acetate co-polymer and 2) confirmation the ease of clinical applicationwith focus on a fiberglass reinforced MG material by which a new type of MG mayeasily be fabricated. A fiberglass reinforced MG material was made successfully by embedding five layersof fiberglass clothes on the both side of base MG sheet by pressing with metal hot plateand vacuum machine. It had better bonding strength with the base MG material, andalso its flexural properties were improved drastically. A prototype MG sample used with a fiberglass reinforced MG material could easilybe fabricated. This mouthguard sample showed almost same shock absorption ability inthe tooth distortion compared with a conventional laminated type of MG made of thebase MG material. Reinforcement of MG material with fiberglass could be improved by physicalproperties and kept adhesion capabilities to base MG material. We could confirm theprospect of clinical applications of fiberglass reinforced thermoplastic material as MGmaterial. Future investigation should be carried out to be satisfied the requirement for the fabrication of MG more thinly with better shock absorption.

DESCENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.35/THE DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE