[Epidemiology of facial trauma]

This study aims to determine the incidence, etiology, severity of facial trauma and associated injuries enabling a greater understanding of its range and magnitude

A hundred and sixty four patients were selected with some degree of facial trauma regardless of gender, age and skin color. Data were analyzed by the Pearson chi2 statistical method.

A male predominance was observed (78%) and its peak age was between 20 and 39 years. The major cause was interpersonal violence (48.1%), followed by fall (26.2%), run overs 6.4%), sports (5.4%), car accidents (4.2%), motorcycle accidents (3.1%), non-fall impacts (2.4%), occupational injuries (1.8%), gunshot wounds (1.2%), unspecific (1.2%). Contusion is the most common injury (23.8%), followed by fractures of the mandible (21.9%), Le Fort/pan facial/complex (17.8%), nasal bones (11.6%), zygoma (10.3%), tooth (9.1%), orbit (4.9%) and maxilla (0.6%). Associated injuries occurred mostly in run overs, but also because of car accident, fall and interpersonal violence.

The causes of facial trauma are directly related to the age and type of lesion. No evidence was found that the causes were related to gender or severity of the lesion.