Hockey is becoming more popular among America's youth. With young kids who hope to have a professional career in hockey being drafted by junior hockey teams each year, the need for constant medical care for these young players is growing as well.

Statistics show that an athlete has a 10% chance of sustaining a dental injury during each season of play. If you are concerned about the dental health of your junior hockey players, here are two reasons why it can be beneficial to keep a cosmetic dentist on-call during the season.

1. A cosmetic dentist can help young players save teeth that have been knocked out.

Hockey is a rough sport, with body checks and minor fights commonly occurring in each game. Players are even vulnerable to dental injury during practice, when a stray puck could make contact with a player's mouth.

If a tooth is knocked out while a player is on the ice, having a cosmetic dentist on-call could help save the tooth. As long as a tooth is reimplanted within one hour of being knocked out, there is a good chance that it can remain firmly in place. A cosmetic dentist will be able to determine if the surrounding area has sustained any nerve or tissue damage, and stabilize the reimplanted tooth with a sling in order to help speed the healing process.

By having a cosmetic dentist available to quickly and correctly address teeth that have been knocked out, young hockey players can avoid the need for dental prosthetics in the future.

2. A cosmetic dentist will be able to perform reconstructive surgery.

Having a cosmetic dentist on-call ensures that your junior hockey players have access to a skilled dental professional that can perform reconstructive surgery when necessary.

It's not unusual for a wrist shot to travel 80 to 90 miles per hour, and slapshots can travel even faster. To be hit in the face with one of these shots can cause serious dental injury to a junior hockey player. Teams that have a cosmetic dentist on-call will be able to get players the dental implants, bridges, and root planing they need to prevent serious dental problems in the future.

Since a team's dentist will typically examine players periodically throughout the season, the on-call cosmetic dentist is uniquely equipped to provide reconstructive assistance to players who have been injured on the ice.

Having a cosmetic dentist on-call can be a great way to help your junior hockey players deal with their dental problems more effectively in the future. For more information about cosmetic dentistry, contact a dentist such as Nitz Nathan D D MD.