Oral and maxillo-facial injuries in victims of political repression during the Chilean dictatorship.

Abstract

Chile was under a civil-military dictatorship from 1973 to 1990. During that time, systematic violations to human rights were perpetrated. Oral and maxillo-facial trauma was not an exception, and such trauma was carried out through different methods of torture or ill treatment by agents of the State. Currently, Chile has laws and programs in the public healthcare system to carry out the re-habilitation and reparation process in victims, and the registration of the suffered injuries is considered an important part of these med-ico-legal procedures. The aim of this study is to describe and classify the type of torture or ill-treatment in the orofacial area of victims of political repression during the Chilean military dictatorship and relate them to the injuries registered in written reports. 14 reports of oral and maxillo-fa-cial injuries of tortured victims from 2016 to 2020 were analyzed, considering the alleged history of the patient, the visible effects on the oral examination, and the type of torture that was inflicted. Historical clinical records and X ray exams were analyzed when available. 6 variations of torture and ill-treat-ment that involve the maxillo-facial area were caused by agents of the State during the dic-tatorship period. According to the patient ́s account and the clinical examination, all of the torture techniques applied caused, directly or indirectly, the loss of teeth. This resulted in not only physical problems, but psychological problems for the victims.