The organisers of rugby league world cup 2013 provided high quality dental care to the elite players, acutely aware of the trauma incidents that can occur during matches. David Melia, dental lead says: ‘This may involve on the day or next day treatments which could extend from replacing a lost or damaged mouthguard, replacing a lost filling, restoring a cracked tooth to sport induced dental trauma.’
Rugby League is an extremely fast physical contact sport in which injuries can unfortunately occur many of them oro-facial, and in October 2013 saw the opening match of the rugby league world cup, where 14 international teams from around the world competing in England, Wales, France and Ireland.
The vast majority of players wear custom fitted mouthguards but even with this level of protection trauma to the dentition can occur. Injuries range from a single enamel-dentine fracture to multiple fractures involving crowns and roots along with various luxations and avulsion.
