The ergogenic effect of using occlusal splint: a review

Abstract

The impact of oral appliances to improve human strength or decrease stress has been reported since ancient times. The origin of this phenomenon is poorly understood. Roman soldiers were using leather straps between their teeth to improve their prowess in battle. Women would bite on sticks during childbirth to ease delivery. And in the absence of general anesthesia amputation procedures were conducted the same way. In late years we observed higher numbers of mentioning the ergogenic effect on upper body muscles and improvement in kinetical stabilization in asymptomatic athletes. Therefore, it`s essential for us to assess most of the reports to better understand the ergogenic effect of the occlusal splints and bring us closer to their origin.