No abstract

Trauma prevention and further education regarding the management of avulsed tooth is an essential requirement to improve general dental practitioners knowledge and clinical skills.

Knowledge of the management of tooth fracture and storage medium differs between previous casualties and non-casualties. Overall, knowledge of dental trauma management was insufficient, suggesting the need to educate and train the players.

Multilevel modeling is a valid and efficient statistical method in analyzing AP data. The predicted probability of a tooth having AP was generally small, but there was great variation between individuals. Posterior teeth and those with poor quality root filling were found to be more frequently associated with AP. On the patient level, advancing age was a factor significantly associated with AP.

The use of mouthguard was low among rugby players. Custom-made was the least worn type, possibly due to limited availability. The use of mouthguard increased slightly with age but was discouraged by breathing interference and general discomfort. Therefore, preventive effort should focus on early education and reinforcement, as well as on the improvement of wearability and accessibility.