Traumatic dental injuries in a university hospital: a four-year retrospective study

BACKGROUND Traumatic dental injuries present complex injuries of the dentoalveolar system. Aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and patterns of traumatic dental injuries in a University dental emergency service over four years. METHODS A retrospective investigation on all dental trauma patients presenting at the dental emergency service of the University Medical Center Mainz, Germany between 01/2010 and 12/2013 was conducted. Demographic data, the cause and type of trauma and the initial therapy were analyzed. RESULTS Out of 16,301 patients, 1,305 patients (8 %; average age 14.7 years ±15.7; 60.1 % male, 39.9 % female) came due to trauma. 63.9 % of the traumas occurred on weekends. The most frequent reason for injuries was falls (54.6 %). No correlation could be found between the cause and the kind of trauma. In 48.6 % of the cases only one tooth was involved, in 33.5 % two. The permanent dentition was traumatized in 56.6 % of cases, the deciduous teeth in 41.1 %. The most frequently affected tooth was the central upper incisor (61.0 %). Hard-tissue injuries were significantly more frequent in the permanent dentition, while periodontal injuries were seen significantly more often in the deciduous dentition. CONCLUSION Eight percent of all patients seeking help at the dental emergency service presented with trauma, meaning that dental traumatology is one of the major topics in emergencies. To improve the quality of care, further public education, expert knowledge among dental professionals and a well-structured emergency service are necessary.