Influence of Occlusion on Flight Time in Trampoline Competition

Purpose: The aim of this study was to clarify the effect of occlusion on flight time in trampoline competition. Materials and methods: Participants were 10 male trampoline gymnasts (18.9 ± 0.8 years). Dental Prescale was used to measure the occlusal contact state, and the lateral difference in the occlusal contact area was calculated. An all-in-one measurement system (HDTS EU-7100) was used to measure the flight time during consisted of 10 consecutive straight jumps. The correlation between the lateral difference in occlusal contact area and flight time was analyzed using Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient. A custom mouthguard was fabricated using a 2.0-mm-thick thermoplastic sheet and was adjusted so that all teeth were in even contact with light clenching. Differences in flight times with and without a mouthguard were compared using a paired t-test. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to analyze the relationship between the lateral difference in occlusal contact area and the rate of flight-time prolongation due to wearing a mouthguard. Results: A negative correlation was observed between the lateral difference in occlusal contact area and flight time (P<0.05, R=−0.697). As a result of comparing the flight time with and without a mouthguard, flight time was significantly longer with a mouthguard (P<0.05). A significant positive correlation was observed between the lateral difference in occlusal contact area and the extension rate of flight time due to wearing a mouthguard (P<0.05, R=0.657). Conclusion: This study revealed a relationship between occlusion and flight time during straight jumps in the trampoline competition and found that the smaller the left-right difference in the occlusal contact area, the longer the flight time. In addition, it was clarified that achieving uniform occlusal contact by wearing a mouthguard contributed to the extension of flight time, and this effect was more pronounced in athletes with uneven occlusal contact.