Computer-design and Biomechanical Testing of Impact-energy Absorbing Protective Mandibular Appliance

Akervall Technologies Inc. is developing a novel approach to energy-absorbing and energy-dissipating mouth guards. It is proposed to systematically measure and characterize in a biomechanics laboratory a set of realistic impact conditions, identifying the transmission and propagation of forces from jaw or dentition to TMJ, skull, and neck without and with a variety of dental appliances in place, comparing the effectiveness of impact energy dissipation of commercially available appliances to that of the patent pending appliance under development by Akervall Technologies, Inc. The second technical objective of the proposed project is to develop a multiphysics model geared toward optimizing the impact energy dissipation of appliance materials and designs, based on the experimental results obtained in the biomechanics laboratory, and to explore how and to what extent appropriately designed mouth guards with strategically placed perforations and energy-absorbing zones can dissipate the energies transmitted to the TMJ and skull. The computer-guided optimized mouth guard design will then be translated into prototypes for further biomechanical impact testing, and manufacturing techniques will be developed that are suitable for the production of mouth guard prototypes meeting military specifications.