Speech Performance of Rugby Players When Using Different Types of Mouthguard

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Speech
• Interventions: Device: no mouthguard; Device: 'boil and bite' mouthguard; Device: custom-fitted mouthguard

• Registration Number: NCT04010500
• Lead Sponsor: Amy Liew

Brief Summary

Participation in contact sports is linked to an increased risk of dental injuries. To reduce the risk and severity of sports-related dental injuries, mouthguards are often recommended to be worn during training and competition. However, athletes often complain that they cannot talk properly when using mouthguards. It is hypothesized that speech performance differs when using different types of mouthguards. A group of female national rugby players will be asked to pronounce four Malay words with plosive sounds (/p/, /b/, /d/ and /t/) repeatedly in three conditions: (i) when not using any mouthguard, (ii) when using 'boil and bite' mouthguard, and (iii) when using custom-fitted mouthguard. The sounds will be recorded for spectrographic analysis. The difference in mean voice onset time between conditions will be assessed.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2018-05-18
• Primary Completion: 2018-12-31
• Study Completion: 2018-12-31
• Study First Submitted: 2019-06-28
• Status Verified: 2019-07
• Study First Submitted QC: 2019-07-02
• Last Update Submitted: 2019-07-02
• Study First Posted: 2019-07-08
• Last Update Posted: 2019-07-08

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 30

Inclusion Criteria

• adult female aged 18 years old and older
• currently representing the nation and participating actively in rugby
• native speakers of Malay (national language)

Exclusion Criteria

• did not play rugby within the last six months
• edentulism
• used a mouthguard, orthodontic appliance or removable prosthodontics appliance within the last six months
• known history of allergy to polymers
• medical problems (ASA classification 3 and above)

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Rugby Players	no mouthguard	-
Rugby Players	'boil and bite' mouthguard	-
Rugby Players	custom-fitted mouthguard	-

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Mean voice onset time	Immediate	The delay between the start of the speech sound and the beginning of vocal cord vibration (in millisecond)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; 🇲🇾 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia