Fractures of the facial bones in the Otago region 1979-1985.

The aetiology, type, distribution, and treatment of fractures of the facial bones is described in the 484 patients with such injuries treated at Dunedin Hospital during the period 1979-1985. The mean annual rate was 51.7 per 100,000. The rate of facial bone fractures has remained relatively constant over a 32-year period in the Otago area. Interpersonal violence is now the most common cause of these injuries. Fractures of the zygomatic complex and fractures of the mandible remain the most common facial fractures. There is an increasing trend towards the use of direct internal fixation for fractures that require treatment.