Incidence of reported dental trauma among soldiers during basic training

The objective of this study was to assess the incidence, characterizations and etiologies of traumatic dental injuries among Israeli army soldiers during basic combat training. Dental files of soldiers (n=11,053) from several combat military camps, who completed 8 months of basic training during 2006-2007, were analyzed for frequency, type and etiology of dental trauma. The study included 118 files. The incidence of dental trauma was 1.1% per 8 months (1.6% per year). The most frequently traumatized tooth was the right maxillary central incisor (46%), most prevalent type of injury was a noncomplicated crown fracture (45%), and most frequent etiology was the personal weapon (53%), with no statistical correlation toward a right-sided injury. The incidence of dental traumatic injuries during basic combat training was higher than among army personnel as found in other studies. A weapon impact can be a major risk factor for soldiers during basic training.