THE IMPACT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM AND DENTAL APPLIANCES IN REDUCING ORO AND MAXILLO- FACIAL INJURIES AMONG TWO GROUPS OF BASKETBALL PLAYERS

*Rania Abd El-Ghany Hassan, Raafat Riad, Tarek Abdelkader Salam

ABSTRACT

Background: Oro-maxillofacial injuries are common in contact sports such as basketball, often resulting in dental trauma, facial fractures, and soft tissue damage. Despite the availability of effective preventive strategies, particularly mouthguard use, awareness and compliance remain low among young athletes. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of an educational program alone versus an educational program combined with dental appliances (mouthguards) in reducing oro-maxillofacial injuries among basketball players. Methods: A comparative study was conducted at Pegasus Club, 6th of October City, involving 50 basketball players aged 12-16 years. Participants were divided into two groups: Group A (n=25) received an educational program on prevention and management of oro-maxillofacial injuries, while Group B (n=25) received the same educational program plus ready-made mouthguards. Data were collected using a modified structured questionnaire at baseline (T0), after three months (T1), and after six months (T2). Outcomes measured included knowledge of injury prevention and first aid, preventive practices, and self-reported injury incidence. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (version 26), with p<0.05 considered significant. Results: Baseline assessments revealed no significant differences between the two groups in demographics, knowledge, or preventive practices. Following intervention, both groups demonstrated improved knowledge scores; however, Group B showed significantly greater improvements in injury awareness, first-aid knowledge, and preventive practices (p<0.001). At 3 and 6 months, Group B exhibited a markedly lower incidence of oro-maxillofacial injuries (44.0% vs. 92.0% in Group A) and significantly higher compliance with mouthguard use (92.0% vs. 0.0% in Group A). Conclusion: Educational programs significantly improve knowledge and awareness regarding oro-maxillofacial injury prevention. However, when education is combined with practical preventive measures such as mouthguard use, the impact on reducing injury incidence and promoting long-term compliance is substantially greater. These findings emphasize the need for integrating structured educational interventions with mandatory protective appliance use in youth sports to minimize injury risks and enhance athlete safety.

Keywords: CM wire, cyclic fatigue resistance, NiTi files, static model and NaOCl irrigation.