Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 20, 2025
Author Spotlight: 3D Movement Assessment of Maxillary Posterior Teeth in Clear Aligner Treatment
Published on: February 23, 2024
Prevalence and Etiology of Pediatric Maxillofacial Injuries: A Unicenter-based Retrospective Study
Dichen P Bhutia1, Geeta Singh1, Shadab Mohammed1
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, King Georges Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Insights
Pediatric maxillofacial injuries are common, with motor vehicle collisions and falls being leading causes. Understanding injury patterns is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies and resource allocation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Traumatology
- Craniofacial Surgery
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Children's unique susceptibility to craniofacial trauma due to higher cranial mass-to-body ratio.
- Pediatric craniofacial injuries constitute approximately 11.3% of all pediatric emergency cases.
- Etiology, incidence, and treatment are influenced by sociodemographic, economic, and cultural factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the epidemiology of facial injuries in a pediatric population (0-16 years).
- To determine facial injury patterns, mechanisms, and concomitant injuries across different age groups.
- To provide data for improved resource allocation and preventive measures.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 1,221 pediatric patients with facial injuries over a 3-year period.
- Patients categorized into three age groups: 0-5 years, 6-11 years, and 12-16 years.
- Analysis of injury patterns, causes, and associated injuries.
Main Results:
- Motor vehicle collisions were the primary cause in older children (6-16 years), while falls predominated in younger children (0-5 years).
- The mandible (34.7%) and nasal bone (33.3%) were the most frequently fractured.
- Over 50% of patients sustained concomitant injuries.
Conclusions:
- Epidemiological analysis is vital for understanding trauma burden and optimizing care.
- Findings can inform the development of targeted national prevention programs.
- Improved preventive strategies are needed to reduce the incidence of pediatric maxillofacial injuries.
Background:
Children are uniquely susceptible to craniofacial trauma because of their greater cranial mass-to-body ratio. The craniofacial injuries comprise approximately 11.3% of an overall pediatric emergency, and its etiology affects the incidence, clinical presentation, and treatment modalities, which are influenced by sociodemographic, economic, and cultural factor of the population being studied.
Materials And Methods:
A retrospective review to analyze the epidemiology of facial injuries in pediatric population (age range-0-16 years), divided into three age groups, i.e., group I (0-5 years), group II (6-11 years) and group III (12-16 years), was carried out over a 3-year span, in order to determine the facial injury pattern, mechanism and concomitant injury by age.
Results:
A total of 1,221 patients with facial injuries, reporting to our trauma center and outpatient department were identified. Majority of these injuries were encountered among boys (64%). Motor vehicle collision (46.5%) was the most common cause of facial fracture and dentoalveolar injuries in group II and group III, while fall was the most common cause among the group I (30.2%). Mandible was the most commonly fractured bone (34.7%) followed by nasal (33.3%), maxilla (17.5%), and zygoma (14.3%). More than 50% sustained concomitant injuries.
Conclusion:
The importance of epidemiological analysis lies in the identification of trauma burden, which could help motivate and develop more efficient ways to plan resources allocation and deliver adequate care and preventive steps. Improvisation upon National Prevention Programs could lower incidences of such injuries.
How To Cite This Article:
Bhutia DP, Singh G, Mohammed S, et al. Prevalence and Etiology of Pediatric Maxillofacial Injuries: A Unicenter-based Retrospective Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2019;12(6):528-531.
