Oral trauma in an urban emergency department

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the type of traumatic orofacial injuries and the referral pattern seen in children up to 15 years of age who came to the pediatric emergency department at an urban hospital during an 18-month period. The majority of injuries treated, 87% in preschool children and 71% in children ages 6 to 15 years old, were lacerations and/or abrasions. The primary mechanism of injury was falls, accounting for 78% of traumatic orofacial injuries in preschoolers and 47% in children ages 6 to 15 years. Children ages 6 to 15 years were more likely to be injured in sports-related activities and more likely to injure the dentition than preschool children. When referrals for follow-up care were documented, the majority was to the department of dentistry.