Traumatic dental injuries and Alpine skiing

The purpose of this study was to determine the occurrence and type of traum atic dental injuries after maxillofacial injuries as a result of Alpine ski ing. During an 8-year period (from January 1991 to December 1998) 7600 pati ents with facial injuries were registered at the Department of Oral and Max illofacial Surgery, University of Innsbruck, Austria. Of 784 patients with skiing-related facial injuries (524 males, 260 females) 326 (41.6%) sustain ed injuries to 639 teeth. The age groups predominantly affected were betwee n 7 and 32 years. Luxation injuries occurred in 338 (53%) teeth, fractures accounted for 270 tooth injuries (42%), and only 35 (5%) were lost at the p lace of the accident. Of skiers with traumatic dental injuries 58% had conc omitant sort tissue injuries, while 23.3% had associated facial bone fractu res. The most: common causes of injury were falls in 42% (329 patients) and collisions with other persons in 24.1% (189 patients). Being hit by ones o wn sports equipment (11%) was the third most common cause. Collisions with obstacles accounted for 9% and lift accidents for 5.6% of injuries. The pro bability of suffering dentoalveolar trauma during skiing varied depending o n the injury mechanism. There was a 2-fold risk for dentoalveolar trauma wh en colliding with objects, a 3.5-fold risk when hit by one's own equipment and a 8.5-fold risk during lift accidents. Dental injuries occurred in abou t 2% of all injured skiers. Dental health professionals should be aware of the high incidence and the distribution of dental trauma and facial injurie s caused by skiing.