Dental trauma in children: a survey.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the type and prevalence of injuries presenting to the pediatric dental service of the Child Nat Med Ctr. During the 12 months survey, 227 patients presented. This patient group consisted of 159 males (M) and 68 females (F) (2.34 M to 1.0 F); 96 (62 M, 34 F) were less than 5 y age; 85 (64 M, 21 F) were 5 to 12 y age; 46 (33 M, 13 F) were greater than or equal to 13 y age. The leading cause of injury was falls (105/227; 46%). Approx 50% (115/227) of the injuries occurred between May and September; 132 children sustained soft tissue injury (88 intraoral; 20 extraoral; 24 intra and extraoral); 61 permanent teeth were fractured in 44 children; 36 primary teeth were fractured in 31; 133 permanent teeth in 63 and 148 primary teeth in 79 patients sustained a displacement type of injury; 13 presented with an alveolar fracture. These observations extend earlier information regarding the epidemiology of dental injuries in childhood.