The avoidance and management of orofacial injuries.

Recent studies reveal an increasing incidence of orofacial injuries in sports, especially hockey, and physicians must be prepared to accept a role in the campaign to prevent these injuries which are most common at ages 11 to 18. Some aspects of head and orofacial protection are therefore discussed. For those injuries which do occur, proper immediate care may aid in early diagnosis and treatment, and also shorten the recovery period. But perhaps more important, there must also be a change in our attitudes towards sports.