Refractory epilepsy is highly associated with severe dentoalveolar and maxillofacial injuries

Dental intrusion and avulsion, crown fracture and mandibular fractures are important dentofacial complications in patients with epilepsy-related traumas. The objective of the present study was to describe the occurrence of orofacial injuries in patients with epilepsy. One hundred and nine consecutive patients (60 women; mean age 38.81 ± 14 years), treated for refractory epilepsy (45 with extratemporal epilepsy and 64 with temporal epilepsy) at the outpatient clinic of our University Hospital, were included in the present study. Orofacial injury occurring as a direct result of a seizure was determined by clinical examination and interview. In addition, seizure frequency, use of medication, and the occurrence and type of injury to other parts of the body, were documented. We employed regression analyses to investigate the association between teeth fractures and frequency of seizures. The majority of injuries were crown fractures (42 subjects), followed by mandibular fractures (eight subjects) and tooth avulsion (eight subjects). Sixteen patients had more than two fractured teeth. Patients with mandibular trauma also suffered concomitant injuries (teeth fracture, avulsion and dislocation). The number of fractured teeth was associated with seizure frequency (r(2) = 0.59, p < 0.001). The data suggest that there is an increased rate of dentoalveolar and maxillofacial injuries in patients with poorly controlled epileptic seizures.