Emergency treatment of athletic injuries.

Dental-related injuries continue to occur in high incidence in sporting events. Many of these injuries are preventable although the use of protective mouthguards remains sparce unless the rules of a particular sport explicitly dictate use during participation. Thus many athletes sustain dental-related injuries resulting in deformity and discomfort which may persist throughout their lives. Acute management of these injuries often determines the extent to which the dental disability is recoverable. It is essential that those health care professionals working directly with the athletes during competition reinforce the importance of protection and prevention as well as refine the skills necessary for immediate management of the injuries. Guidelines for management of dental injuries should be established by the team dental consultant and should be reviewed continually by team athletic trainers and team physicians. Often the primary care professional will determine the fate and ultimate recovery from the variety of dental injuries encountered regularly in sports.