Prevalence of dentofacial injuries in contact sports players: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Backgrounds/Aims Contact sports present intense physical contact, and usually, players have a high risk for dentofacial injuries. It is unclear how often these injuries occur and which contact sports present the highest rates. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of dentofacial injuries among contact sports participants. Methods A literature search was performed in seven electronic databases (Embase, LILACS, LIVIVO, PubMed, Scopus, SportDiscus, and Web of Science). The gray literature (Google Scholar, OpenGrey, and ProQuest), as well as the reference lists of included studies, was assessed. Experts were consulted to indicate additional studies. The eligible studies were observational studies that contained details of the contact sports participants who were aged over 18 years old, either professional or not, who sustained at least one dentofacial injury in the past, the number of sustained injuries, and studies which provided quantitative data on the characteristics of the dentofacial injuries, such as type and site. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Studies Reporting Prevalence Data. Results Among 1152 identified studies, 17 articles remained for final analysis. One study was classified as high risk of bias, 14 studies as moderate, and two as low risk. The overall prevalence of dentofacial injuries was 27.57% (95% CI: 17.87-38.47). The prevalence in each sport was rugby 37.36% (95% CI: 17.45-59.82), basketball 27.26% (95% CI: 9.45-50.08), handball 24.59% (95% CI: 14.88-35.83), and field hockey 19.07% (95% CI: 6.82-35.62). The most common injury was dental injury 19.61% (95% CI: 8.13-34.56). Conclusion The overall prevalence of dentofacial injuries among collective contact sports participants was approximately 30%. The most common injury presented was dental injury.