Tooronga Family Dentistry in Glen Iris

Dental Sporting Injuries: Causes, Prevention, and Treatment in Glen Iris

Dental sporting injuries are among the most complex and distressing dental emergencies faced by both patients and clinicians. These injuries, often affecting the upper front teeth, require a careful and timely approach to ensure the best long-term outcome. Rehabilitation depends on understanding which tissues are damaged and applying the right treatment, including repositioning, splinting, and appropriate use of antibiotics.

Wearing a mouthguard can significantly reduce the risk of dental trauma and improve recovery outcomes when accidents occur.

Common Causes of Dental Injuries

Most dental injuries result from falls, which occur across all age groups. Other frequent causes include violence, road accidents, and contact sports. In recent years, injuries from bicycle riding have also increased.

In children, the highest risk period occurs around two years old when they are learning to walk. Sports-related injuries become more common for boys between eight and nine years old and peak during the teenage years when participation in contact sports is at its highest.

Dentists strongly recommend custom-built pressure laminated mouthguards for athletes and children involved in any contact or high-impact sport.

Factors Influencing Dental Injuries

Dental injuries occur in many situations beyond contact sports. Contributing factors include:

  • Mixed dentition stage in children and adolescents

  • Lack of protective gear in recreational athletes

  • Sports involving hard objects (bats, balls, or sticks)

  • Boxing, martial arts, and collision sports

  • Existing dental restorations such as crowns, bridges, or implants

  • Improper or no mouthguard use

The Australian and American Dental Associations both support the use of custom-fitted mouthguards for effective protection. Even non-contact sports like basketball and softball are now showing increased rates of dental injuries due to aggressive play.

Players not wearing a mouthguard are 60 times more likely to sustain dental trauma, and contact sport athletes face a one in ten chance of injury per season and one in three over their careers.

Understanding the Type and Impact of Injuries

The pattern and severity of dental injuries depend on:

  • The energy and direction of the impact

  • The location of the blow

  • The resilience of the surrounding tissues

Advancements in thermoforming technology have improved the design of custom mouthguards, ensuring proper thickness, fit, and durability tailored to specific sports.

Emergency and Delayed Dental Trauma Management

Dental professionals now categorise injury treatment by urgency:

Acute treatment (immediate attention) – Required for injuries such as avulsions, extrusive luxations, and alveolar fractures. Quick repositioning of an avulsed tooth—ideally within five minutes—greatly improves recovery outcomes.

Subacute treatment (within several hours) – Suitable for injuries like intrusive luxation, minor luxation injuries, crown fractures, or pulp exposure. Early intervention, even if not immediate, can restore function and aesthetics effectively.

Delayed treatment (after 24 hours) – Used for certain primary teeth or cases where immediate treatment isn’t possible. Advances such as Cvek pulpotomy using biocompatible materials like mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) have proven to deliver high success rates (up to 98%).

More severe cases involving multiple fractures or crown-root damage may require tooth extraction. Future reconstruction, such as dental implant placement, is considered once jaw development is complete, generally after age 21.

Mouthguard Design and Innovation

Future mouthguard technology will continue evolving. New materials of varying thickness and hardness, combined with pressure laminating methods and balanced occlusion design, will further reduce the risk of injury. Innovative designs with integrated air spaces may also improve energy absorption during impact.

The Importance of Expert Dental Treatment

Appropriate, evidence-based management of traumatic dental injuries is key to preserving teeth and avoiding long-term complications. Early diagnosis, treatment precision, and follow-up care can mean the difference between tooth survival and tooth loss. Dr. Daniel Kaufman had a comprehensive knowledge and had helped many children and adults recover from trauma following sport and road trauma. For ones care following dental trauma please make an appointment.

What to Do After a Dental Accident: Emergency Steps to Save Your Teeth in Glen Iris

Accidents happen — and when they involve your teeth, acting fast can make all the difference. Dental injuries from falls, sports, or everyday mishaps can cause cracks, chips, or even tooth loss. The good news? You can often minimize the damage if you know what to do and when to contact your dentist.

At Tooronga Family Dentistry, Dr. Kaufman and our team are here to help you handle dental emergencies quickly and effectively. Here’s what you should know if you or your child experiences dental trauma.

After a Fall — Don’t Assume Everything Is Fine

Even if your teeth look intact after a fall, there could still be internal damage. Cracks, loosened teeth, or root injuries aren’t always visible to the naked eye. If left unchecked, these can lead to long-term dental complications.

Always book an emergency appointment with Dr. Kaufman at Tooronga Family Dentistry to ensure no hidden damage has occurred. The sooner you get examined, the better the chances of saving your tooth.

Dental Accidents in Children

Bumps and falls are part of growing up, but a knocked-out tooth requires immediate attention. Follow these steps to minimize long-term damage:

  1. Find the tooth — Hold it by the crown (the white part), not the root.
  2. Clean it gently — If dirty, rinse with clean running water. Don’t scrub or touch the root.
  3. Reinsert the tooth if it’s permanent — Gently place it back in the socket, ensuring it’s facing the right way.
    • If it’s a baby tooth, do not reinsert it. Place it in a bag and bring it to your dentist.
  4. Call Tooronga Family Dentistry immediately.
  5. If you can’t replant it, store it in milk or saliva. Older children may keep the tooth in their mouth if safe to do so.

If your child complains of a toothache after a fall, rinse with salt water (1 teaspoon salt in a cup of lukewarm water) and use paracetamol for pain relief. Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling — but remember, this does not apply to teething infants.

For broken or bent braces or retainers, remove them and bring them to Dr. Kaufman for adjustment. Learn more about orthodontic emergencies.

Dental Trauma in Adults

If you lose a tooth due to an accident, time is critical — ideally, see Dr. Kaufman within 30 minutes. The faster you act, the greater the chance of saving your tooth.

Follow these steps:

  1. Find the tooth and handle it by the crown only.
  2. Rinse with clean water if dirty — never scrub or soak it.
  3. Reinsert it gently into the socket and bite down softly on a tissue, gauze, or mouthguard to keep it in place.
  4. Call Tooronga Family Dentistry right away.
  5. If you can’t replant it, transport it in milk or saliva.

Final Thoughts

Dental emergencies can happen to anyone — children or adults. Knowing what to do in those first few moments can be the difference between saving or losing a tooth. Keep our number handy, and if an accident occurs, contact Tooronga Family Dentistry immediately for professional care and peace of mind.

 

Sports and Dental Injuries: Glen Iris Guide to Mouthguards and Prevention

Staying active is vital for a healthy lifestyle in Glen Iris—but certain sports can put your teeth at risk. Here’s what you and your family need to know about preventing dental injuries while staying fit:

Facts About Sports-Related Dental Injuries

  • Children and teens in Glen Iris have the highest rate of dental trauma from sports activities.

  • The biggest culprits: footy, basketball, cricket, cycling, and hockey.

  • Injuries happen from falls, contact with elbows or hands, or being hit in the face by a bat, ball, or other sporting equipment.

Why You Need a Custom Mouthguard in Glen Iris

Wearing a mouthguard greatly reduces the chance of dental injury on the field or court. At Tooronga Family Dentistry, our custom mouthguards come in three levels of protection, offering the best fit, comfort, and safety.
Store-bought (chemist) mouthguards may seem easy, but often won’t stay in place when you need them most.

What To Do After a Dental Injury

If you or your child suffers a dental injury during sport, make an appointment immediately with Tooronga Family Dentistry for emergency care.
If the person lost consciousness, has unstoppable bleeding, or deep face or tongue cuts, seek urgent medical attention right away at your nearest emergency facility.

Stay safe and keep scoring goals—with a protected, healthy Glen Iris smile!