Non-Cochrane · prognostic · PM41871283
Occurrence of Orofacial and Dental Injuries in Rugby: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Chaboussie Marc, Baudet Alexandre · Clinical and experimental dental research · 2026 · PubMed · doi:10.1002/cre2.70315
Findings
Population Rugby players of all genders, ages and playing levels
2 findings
| Rugby participation (exposure; no intervention compared) | None (prevalence review) | Prevalence of orofacial injuries Rugby clubs and sport settings · Club rugby players, studies using questionnaires | Prevalence (proportion) 0.404 [0.385, 0.422] Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency 6 studies · 2778 participants |
| Rugby participation (exposure; no intervention compared) | None (prevalence review) | Prevalence of dental injuries Rugby clubs and sport settings · Club rugby players, studies using questionnaires | Prevalence (proportion) 0.196 [0.181, 0.213] Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency 4 studies · 2330 participants |
Included primary studies 16
Open in Studies| Study | Year | Also included by | Outcomes it informs here | Trial data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abdullah 2015 Association of dental trauma experience and first-aid knowledge among rugby players in Malaysia. PMID:26058666 | 2015 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Ilia 2014 Prevalence of dental trauma and use of mouthguards in rugby union players. PMID:25160534 | 2014 | this review only | Prevalence of orofacial injuries | not extracted yet |
| Jagger 2010 The prevalence of dental, facial and head injuries sustained by schoolboy rugby players. A pilot study. PMID:20594428 | 2010 | this review only | Prevalence of orofacial injuries; PM41871283-P1-O2; Prevalence of dental injuries | not extracted yet |
| Kroon 2016 Mouthguard Use and Awareness of Junior Rugby League Players in the Gold Coast, Australia: A Need for More Education. PMID:25881567 | 2016 | this review only | Prevalence of orofacial injuries | not extracted yet |
| Lafferty 2021 Rugby-related adult maxillofacial trauma injuries: a NEISS database study. PMID:33415687 | 2021 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Marshall 2005 Evaluation of protective equipment for prevention of injuries in rugby union. PMID:15561749 | 2005 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Muller-Bolla 2003 Orofacial trauma and rugby in France: epidemiological survey. PMID:12848711 | 2003 | this review only | Prevalence of orofacial injuries; PM41871283-P1-O2; Prevalence of dental injuries | not extracted yet |
| Nonoyama 2020 Descriptive study of dental injury incurred by junior high school and high school students during participation in school sports clubs. PMID:27452795 | 2016 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Padilha 2021 Orofacial trauma and mouthguard use in Brazilian rugby union players. PMID:32794620 | 2021 | this review only | Prevalence of orofacial injuries | not extracted yet |
| Quarrie 2005 An evaluation of mouthguard requirements and dental injuries in New Zealand rugby union. PMID:16118304 | 2005 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Quarrie 2020 Injury Risk in New Zealand Rugby Union: A Nationwide Study of Injury Insurance Claims from 2005 to 2017. PMID:31506903 | 2020 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Ruslin 2016 Sport-Related Maxillo-Facial Fractures. PMID:26703035 | 2016 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Schildknecht 2012 Dental injury and its prevention in Swiss rugby. PMID:22300191 | 2012 | this review only | Prevalence of orofacial injuries; PM41871283-P1-O2; Prevalence of dental injuries | not extracted yet |
| Tanaka 2014 Prevention of orofacial injury via the use of mouthguards among young male rugby players. PMID:25329428 | 2015 | this review only | PM41871283-P1-O2; Prevalence of dental injuries | not extracted yet |
| Welch 2010 ACC claims for sports-related dental trauma from 1999 to 2008: a retrospective analysis. PMID:21197817 | 2010 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Yamada 1998 Oral injury and mouthguard usage by athletes in Japan. PMID:9558521 | 1998 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
Review question
| Element | Planned (methods) | Found (results) |
|---|---|---|
| Population | Rugby players of all genders, any age and all playing levels | Rugby players, mainly club, school and national leagues; both sexes in 6 studies, men only in 4 studies; 11 studies with junior participants (n=16 studies) |
| Intervention | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Comparison | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Outcomes | Occurrence (prevalence/incidence) of orofacial and dental injuries; secondary: prevalence of mouthguard use and knowledge of tooth injury management | Pooled prevalence of orofacial injuries 40.4% (6 studies, n=2778) and dental injuries 19.6% (4 studies, n=2330); mouthguard use; tooth injury management |
| Study designs | Observational epidemiological studies (retrospective, longitudinal, cohort, ecological, cross-sectional), English language, 1998 to 31 March 2025 | 9 cross-sectional, 5 retrospective, 1 prospective cohort, 1 ecological study (n=16) |
| Timing | Not specified | Studies from 1993 to 2019 data periods; most over 1 year |