Paolo Boffano1, Fabio Roccia2, Emanuele Zavattero2, Emil Dediol3, Vedran Uglešić3, Žiga Kovačič4, Aleš Vesnaver4, Vitomir S Konstantinović5, Milan Petrović5, Jonny Stephens6, Amar Kanzaria6, Nabeel Bhatti6, Simon Holmes6, Petia F Pechalova7, Angel G Bakardjiev7, Vladislav A Malanchuk8, Andrey V Kopchak8, Pål Galteland9, Even Mjøen9, Per Skjelbred9, Fanny Grimaud10, Fabien Fauvel10, Julie Longis10, Pierre Corre10, Sigbjørn Løes11, Njål Lekven11, Sean Laverick12, Peter Gordon12, Tiia Tamme13, Stephanie Akermann13, K Hakki Karagozoglu14, Sofie C Kommers14, Brigitte Meijer14, Tymour Forouzanfar14. 1. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Pathology, VU University Medical Center and Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: Paolo.boffano@gmail.com. 2. Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Turin, Turin, Italy. 3. Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia. 4. Maxillofacial Department, UKC Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia. 5. Clinic of Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. 6. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS, London, UK. 7. Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Medical University, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. 8. Department for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Bogomolets National Medical University, Kiev, Ukraine. 9. Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. 10. Service de Stomatologie et Chirurgie Maxillo-faciale, Chu de Nantes, France. 11. Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. 12. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, NHS Tayside, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK. 13. Department of Maxillofacial surgery, Stomatology Clinic, Tartu University, Tartu, Estonia. 14. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Pathology, VU University Medical Center and Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to present and discuss the results of a European multicentre prospective study about pediatric maxillofacial trauma epidemiology during a year. STUDY DESIGN: The following data were recorded: gender, age, etiology, site of fracture, date of injury. Of the 3396 patients with maxillofacial fractures admitted within the study period, 114 (3.3%) were children aged 15 years and younger, with a male/female ratio of 2.6:1. Mean age was 10.9 years. Most patients (63%) were aged 11-15 years. RESULTS: The most frequent cause of injury was fall (36 patients). Sport injuries and assaults were almost limited to the oldest group, whereas falls were more uniformly distributed in the 3 groups. The most frequently observed fracture involved the mandible with 47 fractures. In particular, 18 condylar fractures were recorded, followed by 12 body fractures. CONCLUSIONS: Falls can be acknowledged as the most important cause of facial trauma during the first years of life. The high incidence of sport accidents after 10 years may be a reason to increase the use of mouthguards and other protective equipment. Finally, the mandible (and in particular the condyle) was confirmed as the most frequent fracture site.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to present and discuss the results of a European multicentre prospective study about pediatric maxillofacial trauma epidemiology during a year. STUDY DESIGN: The following data were recorded: gender, age, etiology, site of fracture, date of injury. Of the 3396 patients with maxillofacial fractures admitted within the study period, 114 (3.3%) were children aged 15 years and younger, with a male/female ratio of 2.6:1. Mean age was 10.9 years. Most patients (63%) were aged 11-15 years. RESULTS: The most frequent cause of injury was fall (36 patients). Sport injuries and assaults were almost limited to the oldest group, whereas falls were more uniformly distributed in the 3 groups. The most frequently observed fracture involved the mandible with 47 fractures. In particular, 18 condylar fractures were recorded, followed by 12 body fractures. CONCLUSIONS: Falls can be acknowledged as the most important cause of facial trauma during the first years of life. The high incidence of sport accidents after 10 years may be a reason to increase the use of mouthguards and other protective equipment. Finally, the mandible (and in particular the condyle) was confirmed as the most frequent fracture site.