Facial fractures: a review of 922 cases with special reference to incidence and aetiology.

During a 10 year period (1969-1978) 922 patients with facial fractures were hospitalized at the Department of Otolaryngology, Jönköping Central County Hospital, Sweden. Eighty percent were men. The peak incidence occurred at the age of 21-30 years. The yearly number of facial fractures was doubled between 1969 and 1974, after which no marked increase was noted. The aetiologies of the fractures were fights (28%), traffic accidents (23.5%), sport activities (17.4%). There was a comparatively low number of work related facial fractures in this study (8.1%). Front seat passengers, car drivers and cyclists represented a great portion of the traffic injury group. The number of fractures caused by traffic accidents decreased after 1974, a fact that may be due to the safety-belt law.