ARLINGTON, VA. — For professional hockey players like the Washington Capitals, visits to the dentist are an unfortunate yet familiar part of the job.
Forward Dylan Strome exemplifies this reality. Following a high stick on November 30 that broke a tooth, he spent Tuesday addressing the injury during the team’s off-day. This comes after a grueling Thanksgiving morning spent undergoing a root canal to repair a chipped and now-dead tooth, also caused by a high stick just a day earlier.
“I feel like they’re all going to come out eventually,” Strome joked, reflecting on his injuries that also included stitches to stop internal cheek bleeding. “You forget your teeth were hurting until you accidentally bite down… more annoying than anything.”
Strome’s experience is far from unique in the Capitals’ locker room, where dental mishaps are practically a badge of honor. Team captain Alex Ovechkin famously lost a front tooth during a 2007 game against the Atlanta Thrashers. Rather than replace it, he embraces the gap-toothed grin that has become a trademark of his charismatic personality.
“We’re hockey players; we’re going to miss teeth,” Ovechkin said with a grin in a viral clip last season. For many players, foregoing immediate dental repairs makes practical sense, given the risks of reinjury during games.
Defenseman Dylan McIlrath knows this all too well. His dental issues trace back to junior hockey, where a chipped tooth led to a root canal and a post with a fake tooth. That post was eventually dislodged during his time in Hershey, and McIlrath has since opted for a temporary flipper tooth he only uses for family photos. Permanent fixes, he notes, will have to wait until retirement.
“Medically, they don’t let you get an implant while you’re playing,” McIlrath explained. “If you get hit again, it’s a significant risk. It’s easier to wait.”
Teammate Tom Wilson, currently dealing with facial swelling after being struck by a Jakob Chychrun shot, has endured his fair share of dental trauma. Reflecting on his injuries, Wilson said, “It depends on the impact. Sometimes you’re bleeding everywhere, but the adrenaline kicks in, and you just get off the ice as quickly as possible.”
Even opposing players like Chychrun himself share similar sentiments about the challenges of dental injuries. Chipped teeth with exposed nerves, he said, are among the most painful to endure.
“You’ve got to get it fixed right away,” Chychrun remarked. “Eating, drinking, even breathing in cold air becomes unbearable. And the nerve pain—it’s constant. Until it’s addressed, it’s excruciating.”
Former Capitals forward Mike Knuble also recounted his own ordeal, recalling how an Eric Fehr shot damaged his teeth, requiring bonding and Invisalign for repairs.
Despite the pain, hockey players soldier on, driven by their competitive nature. “You just want to finish the game,” Strome said. “Unless it affects your skating, shooting, or stickhandling, you push through it.”
In a sport where broken teeth are almost as common as slap shots, resilience and grit are the enduring trademarks of professional hockey players.
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