Sports dental trauma for children and adolescents: unique considerations

Sports play an important and positive role in the lives of millions of children and adolescents worldwide. The risk of injuryin this case, dental injuries, is an ever-present danger to the participants, particularly those we who choose contact sports. Children and adolescents are unique athletes as they are continually growing and developing, and the treatment of traumatic dental injuries must be specific for the age of the individual player. Preventive rules and equipment, especially athletic mouthguards must be tailored to the special needs of a particular athlete in a particular sport at a particular age.