Soccer is the sport with more maxillofacial fractures.

-Butting between players are the main cause of fractures

-A scanner in three dimensions allows you to create custom masks that manage to strengthen the bones of the players

Madrid, 2011-October the fractures of facial bones, as that causes low player Raúl Albiol, they are very common in footballthat has become the sport with greater risks of intervention of oral and maxillofacial surgery, according to reveals the Spanish society of surgery Oral and maxillofacial (SECOM), after analyzing the scientific literature on the subject.

Football is a sport with a great physical contact and for not using any protection. At the time that two players collide at high speed to take control of the ball exposed their heads to the risk of fracture from the impact of a boot, an elbow or other head ”, warns doctor Arturo Bilbao, President of the SECOM. Malr bone and zygomatic arch perform a function of bumper to protect the rest of the craéo to sink down to avoid more serious injury ”, adds.

It is estimated that 30% of maxillofacial fractures are due to the practice of sport, and most of them, 6 of every 10, are caused by football. The most affected bones are those of the central area of the face, 60%, while those referring to the jaw area represent less than half. These are matching data from studies in patients hospitalized in Oral and maxillofacial surgery in Germany and Italy services. The collision with another player is the leading cause of fracture, particularly with another head. The bruises in the temporomandibular joint are caused, above all, by nudges, kicks to the head are the main origin of multiple fractures.

On Spain you do not have current data, except for a study of the University of Barcelona published this year in the journal clinical medicine with players of the Football Club Barcelona, which was intended to determine the impact on oral soft tissue injuries. 30% Of the players had suffered from them and the main causes were the collision with another player (6 out of 10 cases), impact of the ball (23%) and falling (15%).

Masks

The intervention of an oral and maxillofacial surgeon allows restore functionality in most of the fractures and join the active sport with the use of masks, according to doctor Fernando Almeida of the service of Oral surgery and maxillofacial at the Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid. Various studies had demonstrated the effectiveness of these masks, made adjustable and transparent materials to the face, for the consolidation of the bones, stands out. And it is now possible to customize the mask by a scanner in three dimensions, which improves the functionality of it, according to a recent study published in the journal British Journal of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery.

Dr. Almeida recommends, at the same time, football clubs to make his players about the importance of protecting the head of the impacts and that, in the case of fracture, attend quickly service of Oral surgery and maxillofacial, because on many occasions the time is key to restore functionality.

The SECOM is a scientific society dedicated to the defense of the specialty and the promotion of science and outreach initiatives related to oral and maxillofacial interventions linked to deformities dentofacial, surgery dentoalveolar, trauma, the Oncology, temporomandibular articulation of head and neck pathologyinfections and salivary gland pathology.