Prevalence of traumatic dental injuries in emergency dental services: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Public health policies in dental traumatology: A call for action!

Traumatic dental injuries (TDI) are a prevalent public health concern, requiring preventive measures as well as timely and appropriate interventions to prevent adverse outcomes and optimize patients' prognosis. Although dental trauma injuries require prompt clinical intervention, some challenges persist in effectively managing these injuries. In dental traumatology, the implementation of public health policies assumes critical importance, these policies play an important role in addressing preventive measures and mitigating the repercussions of TDI. This review aims to emphasize the importance of developing comprehensive public health policies in dental traumatology, recognizing the strategic importance of this approach and its benefits. By proactively addressing issues associated with dental injuries, these policies have extensive implications for individual quality of life and public health in general. Furthermore, this review will present a suggested structured framework for the development of public health policies, encompassing key domains including prevention, intervention, and education in dental traumatology. The creation and implementation of these policies will address dental trauma through prevention programs, research, and development, and will provide a significant step toward enhancing the well-being of the population and dental trauma victims' prognosis promoting a more resilient healthcare system.

Epidemiological profile of luxations injuries with or without dental fractures in permanent teeth: A 10-years retrospective study

BACKGROUND/AIM

This study assessed the epidemiology of luxation injuries with or without dental fractures in patients attending the outpatient clinic of a Brazilian dental school over the past decade.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We reviewed clinical records from a specialized center for dental trauma care in Brazil, focusing on patients who experienced at least one traumatic dental injury (TDI) in a permanent tooth between 2012 and 2022. The extracted data included sex, age, etiology, time between trauma occurrence and the search for initial care, TDI classification, and the need for endodontic treatment. The statistical analysis involved Pearson's chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests at a 5% significance level.

RESULTS

The 366 analyzed clinical records included 166 patients (350 teeth) with luxation injuries. Men (n = 102) showed a higher prevalence of luxation injuries than women (n = 64). Extrusive luxation prevailed (n = 99 patients and 208 teeth). Patients with luxation injuries sought care promptly after dental trauma incidents (p = .02) and demonstrated a higher incidence of endodontic treatment (p < .0001) than those without luxation injuries. Lateral luxation was notably associated with traffic accidents (p < .0001). The combination of luxation injuries and tooth fractures did not correlate with a higher need for endodontic treatment (p > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Age and trauma etiology seemed to have influenced the epidemiological profile of luxation injuries. Additionally, these injuries affected the time to seek initial care and the need for endodontic treatment.

Prevalence of dental, oral, and maxillofacial traumatic injuries among domestic violence victims: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Domestic violence (DV) encompasses a series of abusive behaviors, perpetrated in a family environment, against individuals of all ages and genders. Injuries to the head, neck, and face are frequent findings among victims of abuse, negatively impacting their quality of life. Although oral and maxillofacial injuries (OMFI) and traumatic dental injuries (TDI) are commonly diagnosed among DV victims, their prevalence is still unknown. This systematic review was aimed to assess the prevalence of OMFI and TDI among victims of DV.

METHODS

The protocol of the review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023424235). Literature searches were performed in eight electronic databases, up to August 7th, 2023. Observational studies published in the Latin-roman alphabet and reporting the prevalence of OMFI and/or TDI were included. The Joanna Briggs Institute's critical appraisal tool, checklist for prevalence studies, was used for quality assessment. Results were presented as qualitative and quantitative syntheses.

RESULTS

Seventeen studies, totaling 12,375 victims of domestic violence, were included. Meta-analyses showed an overall prevalence of 29% (95% CI: 15%-48%, I2  = 99%) and 4% (95% CI: 1%-10%, I2  = 98%) for OMFI and TDI, respectively. Higher pooled prevalence for OMFI (41%, 95% CI: 13%-46%, I2  = 99%) was demonstrated in samples with only women. OMFI was less prevalent (20%) among DV victims under 18, while TDI was lower among adults (1%). Hospital samples presented higher pooled prevalence of OMFI (32%), and forensic data from fatal victims presented higher prevalence of TDI (8%).

CONCLUSION

The overall prevalence of OMFI and TDI in DV victims was 29% and 4%, respectively. Women victims of DV presented higher rates of OFMI (41%) and TDI (6%).