A one-year review of craniofacial injuries in amateur soccer players.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the rate of craniofacial injuries in amateur soccer and help us better understand the nature of these injuries. Retrospective study was carried out using records from the patients with craniofacial injuries associated with soccer activities. All data were collected on the basis of sex, age, type and anatomic site of the injury. In the one-year period of this study, 11/53 cases with craniofacial injuries associated with soccer activities have been treated in our clinic. The highest incidence was in the 18 to 24 year age group (mean age 20.7) with male propensity. The majority of the patients suffered from dento-alveolar fractures (36%), followed by temporomandibular joint disorders (27%), mandibular fractures (27%), and nasal fractures (9%). The most common cause of the fractures was impact against another player (63.6%), followed by impact against equipment (18.2%) and impact against the ground (18.2%). These results show that there is a high risk of potential oral and craniofacial injury during soccer activities.