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Dental injuries in 0-15 year olds at the Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi
H M Muriithi1, M A Masiga, M L Chindia
1Department of Paediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Nairobi, P. O. Box 19676, Nairobi, Kenya.
Objective:
To determine the pattern of occurrence of dental injuries in the 0-15 year-olds.
Design:
A retrospective study.
Setting:
Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi.
Subjects:
Five hundred and five patient records with dental injuries were retrieved and analysed.
Results:
A total of 505 patient records with dental injuries were retrieved and analysed. Most of the injuries were recorded in the year 1999 (22.2%). Boys were more affected (63.0%) than girls (37.0%). The main presenting complaint recorded was pain (75.8%). The majority of the patients (69.5%) presented for treatment during the same day or the day after trauma. Falls were the leading cause of injuries (73.5%). Most injuries involved two teeth (47.1%) and the maxillary central incisors were the most affected teeth both in the primary (67.5%) and permanent (64.0%) dentitions. Luxation injuries were the most common type of dental trauma with 47.5% occurring in the permanent teeth and 77.3% in the primary teeth. The main radiographic investigation performed was intraoral periapical views (52.9%) following which dental extraction (34.4%) was the main treatment modality offered.
Conclusion:
Prospective cross-sectional studies to determine the prevalence of dental injuries are needed. Furthermore improving the knowledge of dental practitioners through continuing dental education programmes would help in updating them on current trends in managing these injuries.
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