Checklist for the initial evaluation of oral and maxillofacial trauma

The standardization of the maxillofacial examination using a validated checklist is highly important. A checklist can also be a valuable tool for epidemiological studies, as it provides all clinical information related to maxillofacial trauma. The aim of this study was to propose a new checklist for the initial evaluation of maxillofacial trauma.

The development and validation of the new checklist were performed in four consecutive phases: (a) determination of items and development of the checklist; (b) analysis by experts; (c) pre-test; and (d) pilot study. The checklist was designed as follows: (a) Specific signs and symptoms (Part 1); (b) Specific signs and symptoms (Part 2); (c) Intraoral signs and symptoms; and (d) Imaging examination.

A good level of agreement was found among the experts and no items were excluded during the validation step. The administration of the instrument to the target population revealed the lack of some important aspects of the clinical evaluation, such as halitosis, otorrhea, petechiae, eyelid ptosis, hypo/hyperacusis, and temporomandibular join sounds. These missing signs were included in the final version.

This checklist is a practical guide that can be used by specialists or students in oral and maxillofacial surgery and it can contribute to the quality of health care at outpatient and oral-maxillofacial surgery services for patients with maxillofacial trauma.