Prevalence of dental trauma in pediatric patients in Mexico: A retrospective study

Abstract

Aim: Traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) are a neglected public health problem worldwide. In countries where caries prevalence has declined, TDIs are increasingly recognised as one of the main causes of tooth loss. This study determinated the prevalence of dental trauma in patients admitted to Pediatric Dentistry Clinic from 2016 to 2022. Materials and methods: A 7-year retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out through the analysis of 3,281 dental records of pediatric patients who consulted in the Pediatric Dentistry Specialty of a public university in Zacatecas, Mexico. The prevalence of dental trauma, age, sex, type of dentition, and trauma were analyzed. The statistical analysis was performed with the SPSS V-20 program, using the chi square test (p<0.05). Results: The prevalence of dental trauma was 3.54%, with the 1 to 3-year-old group being the most affected. The male sex had a higher incidence of trauma with 65.76%. The primary dentition was the most affected with 75%. The most frequent trauma was concussion with 20.7%, followed by subluxation with 15.8% and uncomplicated crown fracture with 13.6%. When analyzing gender regarding the type of dental trauma, no statistically significant difference was found (p=0.434), regarding the analysis between the age group and the type of trauma, it was found that 2 and 3 years occurs with high frequency (p=0.0001). Conclusions: The prevalence of dental trauma was low. Younger patients presented more dental trauma than older ones. Males, temporary dentition and the upper central incisors of both dentitions were the most affected. Concussion and subluxation were the most frequent injuries.