Dental trauma in patients with single mandibular fractures.

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to investigate the occurrence and patterns of dental trauma in patients with single mandibular fracture and to evaluate the relationships between dental injury and fracture site of mandible.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2000 to December 2009, 869 patients with mandibular fractures were registered. Only the patients with single mandibular fracture were included. The information and data collected included age, gender, mechanism of injury, type of mandibular fracture, and type of dental injury.

RESULTS: Single mandibular fractures were sustained in 294 (33.8%) patients. Of these, 43.5% (128 patients) presented with associated dental injuries (509 injured teeth). The patients' male/female ratio was 2.46:1 (91 males and 37 females). Patients in 30-39 year age group possessed the highest risk of suffering dental trauma (odds ratio = 2.004, P = 0.014). Road traffic accidents were the most common mechanism of injury (54, 42.2%). Lower-anterior teeth were more often injured in patients with symphysis fracture (P < 0.001), and patients with condylar fracture more frequently sustained upper-posterior teeth injury (P < 0.001). Lower-posterior teeth injury was mostly found in patients with mandibular body fracture (P < 0.001) or angle fracture (P < 0.001). Dental injuries were more prone to occur in patients who sustained only symphysis fractures (odds ratio = 3.283, P < 0.001), and the risk was only 0.193-fold in patients who sustained only mandible angle fractures (odds ratio = 0.193, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence and type of dental injury were significantly related to the fracture site of mandible.