The Most Common Dental Injuries Caused By Sports

16 January 2018
 Categories: Dentist, Blog

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Facial and dental injuries are common in children who play sports, though most are not serious. While severe injuries are rare, even lighter injuries can result in an emergency dental visit. Football, basketball, hockey, martial arts, and boxing are common sports that lead to injuries, but non-contact sports may result in dental issues as well.

Certain dental injuries are more common than others among children who play sports. Read on to find out which issues your child may be at higher risk for.

Dental Avulsion

Dental avulsion occurs when a tooth comes completely out of its socket. Avulsion is often linked to trauma, like getting hit in the head with a ball. In some cases, the dentist will be able to replace the tooth, but only if it is an adult tooth that has been knocked out. With treatment, children can typically return to sports in just a few weeks.

Sometimes the tooth does not actually come all the way out, leading to a dental subluxation. The dentist will assess the loose tooth in an effort to determine what to do next.

Dental Fracture

A cracked tooth, or dental fracture, is often the result of a terrible blow to the face. In children's sports, these accidents often result from getting hit by a ball or another player.

Fractures may be longitudinal cracks, which begin at the tip of the tooth and extend deeper toward the gum. Fortunately, these types of injuries are not at high risk for additional health issues. Unfortunately, they can lead to sharp pain, especially when you are trying to eat or drink.

In cases of a fractured root, pain is more palpable even if the damage is often invisible. Dental care is necessary to address issues like this one.

Dental Intrusion

Intrusion is a type of displacement that occurs when the tooth is driven down into the dental bone. For children, this is especially important to consider because the bones holding the dental sockets are not as strong as the bones adults have. Dentists work hard to relieve displacement.

Keep in mind that these types of injuries are typically most common in children who do not wear appropriate mouth guards during physical activity. If your child is facing trauma on the field, call your local emergency dentist to see what treatment is available. In the meantime, make sure to talk to your dentist about customizing a mouth guard. For more information, visit websites like http://renovoendo.com.