2015 Volume 53 Issue 3 Pages 406-413
We investigated 233 patients (154 males, 79 females ; age range 0−15 years) who visited the Department of Pedodontics of Matsumoto Dental University Hospital between April 2007 and March 2010 with a chief complaint of oral trauma. Those findings were compared to investigation results obtained 17 years prior.
1.Although the incidence of injury was highest at the late stage of infancy, it decreased from 45.5% noted 17 years ago to 38.2% in the present era. For patients in the late stage of school life, the incidence decreased from 15.6% to 10.7%. In contrast, for patients in early infancy, that increased from 13.8% to 25.3%.
2.The most common cause of injury noted 17 years ago was bruising (35.9%), following by falling (25.7%), and unknown because the parents did not observe the incident (24.6%). In the present era,the most frequent cause was a fall (55.4%), while the second most frequent was collision (18.9%).
3.Although the rate of infant patients with a past history of injury did not change, the rate of those with an unclear past history of injury decreased from 22.8% to 0.4%.
4.Injured areas were similar to those noted 17 years ago, with injury in the maxillary anterior teeth accounting for approximately 70%.
5.As for type of injury, complications with lacerated soft-tissue wounds were more frequently observed in the present era.
6.The percentage of patients who received treatment for the injury prior to visiting our department was approximately 15% in both eras. Although the most common treatment following the initial examination was course observation in many cases, procedures for reduction fixing therapy to maintain esthetics and functionality were increased in the present era.
