It happens in a heartbeat. You’re watching a playoff game, the tension is thick enough to choke on, and then—clink. A puck deflections off a stick blade and catches a winger square in the mouth. He doesn't go to the locker room. He doesn't even look that surprised. He just skids over to the bench, spits a bloody chiclet into his hand, hands it to the trainer, and waits for his next shift. Honestly, hockey player teeth missing from their gums is more than just a sports injury; it’s a rite of passage that defines the very culture of the ice.
But why?
In any other professional sport, losing a body part is a catastrophe. In the NHL, it’s Tuesday. If you walk through the locker room of the Chicago Blackhawks or the Boston Bruins, you’ll see some of the wealthiest athletes in the world looking like they just finished a bar fight in 1974. There’s a strange, almost masochistic pride in it.
The Physics of a Lost Tooth
Let’s talk about the actual violence of it. A standard vulcanized rubber puck weighs about six ounces. When it’s fired off the stick of someone like Shea Weber or Cale Makar, it can travel at speeds exceeding 100 mph. At that velocity, the puck isn't just a piece of equipment; it's a projectile with enough kinetic energy to shatter bone.
Most fans think the "missing tooth" look is just about the puck, but high-sticking is actually the more frequent culprit. A composite carbon fiber stick is basically a whip. When a player follows through on a shot or accidentally catches an opponent in the face during a puck battle, that thin blade acts like a chisel.
Dental professionals who work with NHL teams, like Dr. Bill Friedman (who has spent decades treating players), often note that it isn't just about the tooth coming out. It’s the alveolar bone—the ridge that holds the tooth sockets—that takes the brunt of the force. Sometimes the tooth doesn't just fall out; it implodes.
Why don't they just wear full cages?
This is the question every mother asks when she sees a gap-toothed pro. In college hockey and most European leagues, full-face protection is mandatory or extremely common. In the NHL, however, players are required to wear visors (if they entered the league after 2013), but their mouths remain exposed.
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It’s a visibility thing. Mostly.
Pro players argue that a cage messes with their peripheral vision and makes it harder to see the puck near their feet. There’s also the heat factor. A full cage traps breath and fog. But if we're being real, it’s also about the "code." There is a deep-seated, traditionalist culture in hockey that views full-face protection as "soft." While that's changing slowly, the gap-toothed grin remains a badge of toughness that many players aren't in a rush to hide behind a steel grid.
The Cost of the "Chiclet"
You might think these guys are just walking around with holes in their heads because they can't afford a dentist. That’s obviously not it. Most NHL players have some of the best dental insurance on the planet. The reason for hockey player teeth missing for years at a time is actually a practical medical decision.
Dental implants are a nightmare for active players. To get an implant, a dentist has to drill a titanium screw into the jawbone. It takes months to heal and fuse. If a player gets an implant in December and takes another stick to the mouth in January, that screw can act like a wedge, splitting the jawbone wide open.
That is a season-ending injury.
Instead, players opt for "flippers." A flipper is essentially a partial denture that they can pop in when they’re headed to a nice dinner or a press conference, and pop out before they put their helmet on. It’s a temporary fix for a career-long problem.
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Brent Burns and the Art of the Gap
Take Brent Burns, for example. He is perhaps the poster child for the modern toothless look. He’s missing his front teeth, has a beard that would make a Viking jealous, and he leans into it. For players like Burns, the missing teeth are part of their "brand." It signals to the fans and the opposition that they aren't afraid of the physical toll the game demands.
Then you have Duncan Keith. Back in 2010, during the Western Conference Finals, Keith took a puck to the mouth and lost seven teeth in one go. He missed about seven minutes of game time. He went to the back, had the fragments cleared out, and came back to help the Blackhawks win. That’s the level of insanity we're talking about. The dental work for Keith afterward was extensive, involving bone grafts and multiple surgeries, but in the moment? He just wanted to get back on the ice.
The Long-Term Health Impact
It’s not all "hockey tough" bravado. There are real consequences to losing teeth early in life. When you lose a tooth, the bone in your jaw begins to resorb or shrink because it’s no longer being stimulated by the root of the tooth. Over twenty years, this can change the entire shape of a person's face.
Chronic pain is also a factor. Many retired players struggle with TMJ issues or nerve damage from the repeated trauma to their faces. The NHL Players' Association (NHLPA) has made strides in providing better post-career dental care, but the damage done in your 20s often haunts you in your 50s.
The Evolution of Protection
We are seeing a shift, though. Young players coming up through the USHL or the CHL are used to more protection. While the "tough guy" image persists, the sheer cost and pain of dental reconstruction are making some players rethink the visor-only approach.
Some players are now using custom-molded mouthguards that are significantly more advanced than the "boil and bite" versions you find at a sporting goods store. These are designed to dissipate the energy of an impact across the entire jaw rather than letting a single tooth take the hit. But even the best mouthguard can't stop a 90 mph slap-shot from knocking a tooth clean out if the hit is direct enough.
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What Fans Get Wrong About the Toothless Grin
People often assume hockey players are just reckless. That’s not quite right. They are calculated. They know the risks. They choose to accept the risk of hockey player teeth missing because the alternative—slightly reduced vision or comfort—might be the difference between making a play and sitting on the bench.
It’s also worth noting that the "missing tooth" isn't always from a single hit. Often, it's a tooth that was already weakened or had a root canal from a previous injury. One small bump, and the whole thing just gives up.
Actionable Insights for Players and Fans
If you're playing high-level hockey or have a kid in the sport, don't follow the NHL's lead on dental aesthetics. The pros do it because it's their billion-dollar business, but for everyone else, the "look" isn't worth the $30,000 dental bill.
- Wear a full cage as long as possible. Most adult leagues don't require it, but unless you have an NHL-sized dental plan, it’s the only way to guarantee your smile stays intact.
- Invest in a dentist-fitted mouthguard. A custom guard won't just save your teeth; it can actually help reduce the severity of concussions by cushioning the jaw during an impact.
- Don't rush the implants. If you do lose a tooth and you’re still playing contact sports, talk to your oral surgeon about a flipper or a bridge instead of a permanent implant until you've hung up the skates for good.
- Keep the fragments. If a tooth is knocked out cleanly, put it in a container of milk or "Save-a-Tooth" solution and get to a dentist within 30 minutes. There is a slim chance it can be replanted, though in hockey, the "clean break" is a rarity.
The missing teeth of the NHL are a gritty part of the game’s lore, but they are also a reminder of the incredible physical sacrifice these athletes make. Every gap in a smile tells a story of a blocked shot, a high stick, or a hard-fought battle in the corners. It’s a permanent uniform they can never take off.
Next Steps for Dental Safety in Hockey:
- Consult an Orthodontist: If you have an existing gap, ensure that the surrounding teeth aren't shifting, which can cause long-term bite misalignment and jaw pain.
- Verify League Requirements: Check your local league's "HECC" certification requirements for helmets and face shields to ensure you are legally protected and insured in case of injury.
- Post-Trauma Imaging: If you take a hit to the mouth, even if no teeth fall out, get an X-ray. Micro-fractures in the root can lead to infections and "dead" teeth months after the initial incident.