From facial fractures to sleep management: How dentistry is transforming sports

The field of sports dentistry is playing a crucial role in enhancing athlete safety and performance, with a growing focus on preventing and treating facial injuries. A prime example is NBA superstar Stephen Curry's habit of chewing on his mouthguard during games, a practice that goes beyond a mere tic to serve as a strategy for injury prevention and maintaining focus.

“

Despite the clear advantages of improving performance and preventing injuries, many athletes are unable to utilize them due to uncomfortable fit, lack of information on production, and high costs.

This importance was underscored at the 25th academic conference of the Korean Society for Sports Dentistry, held recently in Seoul. The society, founded in 2003, is dedicated to researching the prevention and treatment of dental and facial trauma in sports, as well as improving athletic performance and oral health through custom mouthguards.

During the conference, Professor Koo Jeong-kwie of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital's Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and former professional basketball player Kim Jin-yong discussed the expanding applications of sports dentistry. Kim shared his personal experience with mouthguards, noting that despite their clear benefits for performance and injury prevention, many athletes hesitate to use them due to discomfort, lack of information, and high costs.

“

Mouthguards are protective devices made of flexible materials, different from simple dentures or night guards. If we clearly inform general athletes of this difference and increase accessibility and convenience using digital 3D scans, we can dramatically improve the adoption rate of mouthguards.

Professor Koo emphasized that mouthguards are specialized protective devices made of flexible materials, distinct from dentures or night guards. He proposed that improving accessibility and convenience through methods like digital 3D scanning could significantly increase mouthguard adoption. A survey he conducted among basketball players revealed that over half had never used a mouthguard, but 90% would be willing to use one if provided free of charge.

“

More than half of the basketball players surveyed had never actually used a mouthguard, but 90% said they would use it if it were provided free of charge.

The conference also delved into specific injury cases, such as facial fractures from elbow impacts in basketball. Koo challenged the common assumption that plastic surgery is the primary solution for orbital fractures, stressing that oral and maxillofacial surgeons can effectively treat such injuries with minimal scarring by accessing the area through the mouth. Furthermore, the discussion extended to how dental treatments for snoring and bruxism can improve sleep quality, directly impacting athletes' conditioning and performance, advocating for systematic monitoring and collaboration with sports teams.

“

Oral and maxillofacial surgery is a specialized field that can effectively prevent eye sinking and minimize scarring by accessing the area through the mouth.