Epidemiologic survey of accidental dentofacial injuries among U.S. Army personnel.

Abstract

This epidemiologic study of accidental dentofacial injuries to U.S. Army personnel was conducted to determine the frequency and distribution patterns of accidental dentofacial injuries to soldiers. Administratively, it was anticipated that this data would permit identification of high-risk groups and would suggest feasible preventive measures. This 9-month study was conducted on 16 Army posts with a combined population at risk of 210,500 soldiers; a standardized data collection form was completed by the dental corps officer treating the injury case and then was mailed to a central collection site for analysis. The data from this dentofacial injury study clearly reveal that differential risks exist for various military subpopulations. While the overall U.S. Army accidental dentofacial injury rate was 37.7 cases/10,000/year, this rate varied greatly for specific subgroups with high-risk factors including young males, lower enlisted ranks, recent recruits, and combat training posts. The primary specific causes of these injuries were fistfights (nearly 30%), sports (over 20%), and vehicles (about 15%).