[Injuries of the facial skeleton in children]

An analysis of a group of patients hospitalized in 1985-1989 at the Dental Clinic for Children on account of facial injuries revealed a higher incidence of injuries in boys, as compared with girls, the ratio being approximately 1.8:1. The highest incidence was recorded in the group aged 9-10 years. Among skeletal injuries isolated mandibular fractures predominated followed by isolated fractures of the alveolar processes (19%) and isolated fractures of the middle portion of the face (12%). The most frequent fracture was that of the articular process of the mandible. 20% of the injuries patients had associated injuries, mostly of the CNS. In the aetiology of facial skeletal fractures falls from a bicycle held an important place (28%). From the therapeutics aspects 68% of the cases were treated by conservative methods, 25% were operated and 7% were left without treatment.