Fractures of the facial skeleton in children.

Fractures of the facial skeleton are infrequent in children. A series of 147 fractures in 116 children aged from 10 days to 13 years old was retrospectively reviewed. The male to female ratio was 1.4:1 and the highest incidence occurred in the age group 8 to 10 years. The main aetiological factor was road traffic accidents. The mandible was predominantly involved (83.7%). The incidence of fractures of the middle third of the face was very low (4.0%). Closed reduction was undertaken most frequently. Complications were found to be minimal.