Prevalence of Maxillofacial Traumas in a Hospital of the Interior of Brazil

Despite important advances in the prevention and treatment of physical trauma, the course of life of millions of people keeps changing every year [1]. Among a variety of types of trauma, the maxillofacial trauma stands out because of its importance, since it may cause aesthetic disfiguration and functional disabilities, besides physical damages [2] with emotional repercussions and the possibility of permanent deformities [3]. In Brazil, the maxillofacial traumas have a strong impact on society, mainly due to its high rates of morbidity and mortality. As it mainly affects the young and economically active age groups, the financial and social cost is significant, besides the resources involved in the treatment of these patients [4]. Therefore, facial trauma is considered a public health problem, related to social, cultural, and economic factors, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). The incidence of oral and maxillofacial injuries can be related to geographic region, time, temporal, and climatic influences [5]. In addition, characteristics of the studied population, such as gender, age, alcohol and drug use, domestic violence, and clinical conditions like osteoporosis are other factors that should be considered when evaluating the epidemiology of facial traumas [6-8]. Although there is a large amount of available literature on the epidemiology of facial trauma, the importance of establishing the characteristics related to its occurrence in specific regions has already been highlighted. Thereby, the Jequitinhonha valley, for being a region of recognized health inequality and socioeconomic aggravating factors in the interior of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, represents a relevant object of study. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the epidemiological data of patients with maxillofacial trauma treated at the Santa Casa de Caridade de Diamantina hospital, a reference medical center in treating facial traumas in the region, for a period of five years, enabling better public health planning by the responsible authorities of this locality.