Abstract

n the basis of this study, the use of adequate facial and dental protection for all players involved in contact team sports, whether organized or non-organized, is strongly recommended. Verf.-Referatance material consisted of 1,977 accidents to maxillofacial and dental regions. In addition, a survey of 80 patients with sports-related maxillofacial fractures was carried out between 1981 and 1985. The overall occurence of sports-related maxillofacial fractures during the 5-year period was 5.6 of all maxillofacial fractures treated in the same unit. Sixty per cent of these ocurred in contact team sports. In the maxillofacial and dental regions dental structures were most often affected, accounting for 77 to 94 of the injuries. Of these, crown fractures were the commonest type of injury, comprising roughly 60 of dental injuries. Most of them occurred in the upper jaw, maxillary central incisors being most prone to injury. The highest occurrence of maxillofacial and dental accidents among registered players of contact team sports was found in bandy and ice hockey, in which the occurrence exceeded 10. In American football the occurrence was only 1.4 which is mostly due to good mandatory facial and dental protection. Also in ice hockey, players for whom the use of a full cage facemask is mandatory showed a clearly lower tendency than others players to sustain maxillofacial and dental injuries. The commonest cause of accident was foul contact between players, except for bandy and ice hockey in which the main cause was a blow from the stick.The costs of treatment of maxillofacial and dental accidents were clearly disproportionately high for their number in bandy, basketball, ice hockey and soccer. In American football the expenses related to these accidents were lower than those related to other accidents. Among ice hockey players who used mandatory facial protection, the mean treatment cost of maxillofacial and dental accidents was lower than among other players.