Prevalence, pattern and etiology of dentoalveolar injuries of permanent dentition in patients presenting at mulago hospital- Uganda.

Abstract

Dentoalveolar injuries are a common problem worldwide and their prevalence, pattern and etiologic factors vary from country to country and within the same country. General objective This study was carried out to establish the prevalence, pattern and factors associated with dentoalveolar injuries of permanent dentition among oral and maxillofacial trauma patients presenting in Mulago National Referral and Teaching Hospital. Specific objectives 1. To determine the prevalence of dentoalveolar injuries of permanent dentition among oral and maxillofacial trauma patients presenting in Mulago Hospital 2. To establish the pattern of dentoalveolar injuries of permanent dentition among oral and maxillofacial trauma patients presenting in Mulago Hospital. 3. To establish factors associated with dentoalveolar injuries of permanent dentition among oral and maxillofacial trauma patients presenting in Mulago Hospital.

Patients and methods of the study This was a hospital based descriptive case series study among oral and maxillofacial trauma patients presenting at Mulago Hospital. The study was carried out in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery unit. The unit is specialized in managing patients with oral and maxillofacial surgical problems. Data were collected using oral interviews based on a questionnaire, clinical examination, radiographs and previous medical records of the patients. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Inc., version 17 for Windows), Chicago, Illinois, USA. Results During the study period, a total of 1524 oral and maxillofacial trauma patients presented in Mulago Hospital, out of which 246 (16.1%) had dentoalveolar injuries. Approximately 76.0% were male presenting a male to female ratio of 3.2:1. The mean age of the participants was 27.2 ± 9.6 (range, 5 to 60 years). Dentoalveolar injuries associated with fracture of the mandible were recorded in 27.5% of cases; crown fracture without root fracture, 19.7%; fracture of the socket/alveolus, 17.5%; avulsion, 15.6%. The anterior teeth were more frequently involved in trauma compared to the posterior; 85.4% versus 14.6%. The maxillary central incisors were the most affected teeth (25.8%). Most accidents (78.0%) occurred in urban areas and road traffic accidents were the most common cause of injury (51.2%) followed by assault (34.6%). Conclusion Dentoalveolar injuries are prevalent in the study population and more common in male than their female counterparts. The anterior teeth were more prone to injuries, particularly the maxillary central incisors. The age group most affected with injuries was 16 to 35 years old. Road traffic accidents and assaults were the main factors associated with dentoalveolar injuries.