CANADA REPEALS BOXING RULES - A COMMENTARY
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 06 Aug 2008
Los Angeles, CA:- Recent reports indicate that the Canadian Boxing Federation (CBF) repealed its rules particularly those concerning the ?three knockdown rule?. The new rules also mandated semi-annual and annual medical examinations on all licensed judges and referees and the use of custom made, individually fitted mouthguards for boxers.
From my point of view as a dentist, the changes are most welcome.
However, if the report is an accurate representation of the new rules, the said rules leaves a lot more to be desired.
As reported, the rules indicate that ?each boxer shall also equip himself and use throughout a contest a custom made, individually fabricated mouth protector? They further state that the ?CBF endorses and recommends the use of WIPSS Jaw Joint Protector to provide increased protection to the jaw joint and base of the skull and reduce the incidence of injury?
The two statements are contradictory and at best are outright confusing!
The CBF first mandates the use of custom made, individually fabricated mouthguards and then turns around and endorse and recommends the use of stock and non-individually fabricated mouthguards! Something is awfully wrong here.
As a dentist, such conflicting rules indicate to me that the CBF lacks proper knowledge of the science behind mouthguards and worse, they probably failed to consult dental professionals who know more about mouthguards than them. Surely, there are numerous Canadian dentists who could have told them the glaring difference between a custom made, individually fabricated mouthguard from a pre-fabricated stock mouthguard like a WIPSS Jaw Joint Protector. The least CBF could have done is browse the internet and found out that custom made mouthguards are totally different from a WIPSS Jaw Joint Protector. The latter is not custom made for an individual athlete.
Custom made, individually fabricated mouthguards, particularly those made using heat and pressure lamination fit far better than stock mouthguards. There is no comparison on how they fit, to say the least.
Custom made mouthguards fit better because they are fabricated using an accurate cast from an impression of the athlete?s teeth. In addition, they are custom fitted by a licensed dentist who is familiar about the rationale behind the need to achieve balance occlusion, the support of the mandibular (lower) dentition through the mouthguard against direct impact to the maxillary (upper) anterior teeth, proper thickness of the mouthguard in certain key areas and the location of muscle attachments.
Custom-made mouthguard.
WIPSS Jaw Joint Protector.
To this writer, the CBF?s endorsement of pre-fabricated mouthguard is wrong. WIPSS may be a functional mouthguard, but certainly, it is not custom made for the individual athlete. There is a world of difference between custom made individually fitted mouthguards made by a licensed dentists and pre-fabricated mouthguards.
For the good of boxers competing in Canada, the CBF should rescind their endorsement.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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