Maxillofacial and dental soccer injuries in Finland.

Between 1979 and 1982 there were 8640 accidents to registered soccer players in Finland. Of these, 552 (6.4%) affected the maxillofacial and dental regions. Medical records were located relating to 537 of these cases (97%). There were a total of 843 injuries, of which 681 (80.8%) affected the teeth or alveolar processes, and 95 (11.2%) were fractures of the lower or middle third of the facial skeleton. The most common cause of the accidents (in 86.4% of cases) was contact with another player. The mean cost of maxillofacial and dental injuries was over twice as high as the mean cost relating to all soccer injuries. The need for the use of mouthguards by soccer players to protect against such injuries is discussed.