Application of sports guards/protectors to prevent traumas in the maxillofacial area

Abstract

Injuries in the maxillofacial area are characterized by specific features and lead to simultaneous distortion of both the functions of many organs and various tissues (soft and hard). They are a consequence of various diseases in the maxillofacial area and traumas of different types, including sports, which cause fractures of the facial and maxillary bones. The sports guards are a prophylactic preventative device aimed at weakening the impact force and prevent the hard and soft tissues in the tooth-jaw area from traumas. Our goal was to investigate the degree of use and the type of sports guards used by athletes practicing contact or martial sports. To achieve the goal, we used a sociological method by conducting an online survey among 100 athletes. The questionnaire was self-developed and contained 6 questions. The survey was conducted in March 2019. We used descriptive and graphical analysis to present the results. The study involved participants with the following gender distribution -75% men and 25% women. An alarming fact was that less than half of the athletes surveyed worried about possible tooth and jaw injuries, and wore teeth/sports guards both during tournaments and workouts (47%). A very large number of the respondents used boil and bite mouth protectors, although they found them uncomfortable, and about one third of the respondents were unaware of the existence of custom-fitted mouth protectors and their advantages.