BDJ Open (Aug 2022)

Determining the performance of a temperature sensor embedded into a mouthguard

  • Leonardo de Almeida e Bueno,
  • William Milnthorpe,
  • Jeroen H. M. Bergmann

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41405-022-00114-8
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 1 – 5

Abstract

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Abstract Objective This study aimed to determine the steady-state errors of oral-based temperature sensors, that are embedded in mouthguards, using a robust assessment process. Materials and methods Four electronic boards with temperature sensors were encapsulated in mouthguards made from ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). The error and time to reach steady-state temperature were determined using a thermostatic water bath during three different conditions (34, 38.5 and 43 °C). Subsequently, a case study of one volunteer wearing the instrumented mouthguard is presented. Results The water bath tests showed that a mean absolute error of 0.2 °C was reached after a maximum of 690 s across all test conditions. The case study yielded an absolute error was 0.2 °C after 1110 s. Conclusion These results show that an instrumented mouthguard with temperature sensing capabilities can yield a consistent steady-state error that is close to the clinical requirements across a range of temperatures. However, the time it takes to reach steady-state temperature needs to be considered for these systems to correctly interpret the outcomes.