A Personalised 3D-Printed Dental Plaque Removal Mouthguard for Older Adults

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to examine the plaque removal effectiveness of a personalised 3D-printed dental plaque removal mouthguard device in a clinical trial setting. Methods: A personalised 3D-printed mouthguard was developed to clean dental plaque using micro-mist. A clinical trial was conducted to examine the plaque removal effectiveness of this device. The clinical trial recruited 55 participants (21 males and 34 females) with an average age of 68.4 years (range, 60–81 years). Dental plaque was dyed by plaque disclosing liquid (Ci). Turesky Modification of the Quigley-Hein Plaque Index (TMQHPI) was used to evaluate the level and rate of plaque formation on the tooth surface. The TMQHPI was recorded and intraoral photos were taken before and after mouthguard cleaning. The plaque removal rate was calculated based on TMQHPI and intraoral photos (pixel-based method) before and after cleaning. Results: The personalised 3D-printed micro-mist injection mouthguard can be effective in dental plaque removal on tooth and gingiva, and the effectiveness lies between that of a manual toothbrush and a mouth rinse. The newly proposed pixel-based method can be a practical, high sensitive tool to evaluate the level of plaque formation. Conclusions: Under the conditions of the present study, we conclude that the personalised 3D-printed micro-mist injection mouthguard can be useful in reducing dental plaque and may be especially suitable for older adults and disabled people.