Abstract
BackgroundThis study aimed to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on oral and maxillofacial fracture in Daegu by comparing the demographic data in 2019 and 2020, retrospectively. We collected data from all patients having trauma who visited the emergency room for oral and maxillofacial fractures.MethodsThis retrospective study was based on chart review of patients who visited the emergency department of Kyungpook National University Hospital in Daegu, South Korea from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2020. We conducted a comparative study for patients who presented with maxillofacial fractures with occlusal instability during pre-COVID-19 era (2019) and COVID-19 era (2000) with demographics and pattern of injuries.ResultsAfter the outbreak of COVID-19, the number of monthly oral and maxillofacial fractures, especially sports-related oral and maxillofacial fractures, decreased significantly. Also, the number of alcohol-related fractures increased significantly. In addition, as the number of monthly confirmed cases of COVID-19 increases, the incidence of fracture among these cases tends to decrease.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic has changed the daily life in Korea. Identifying the characteristics of patients having trauma can provide a good lead to understand this long-lasting infectious disease and prepare for future outbreaks.
Highlights
This study aimed to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on oral and maxillofacial fracture in Daegu by comparing the demographic data in 2019 and 2020, retrospectively
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is an infectious disease that first originated in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 [1]
The inclusion criteria for this study were as follows: (1) all patients presenting during this period for evaluation and treatment to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and (2) patients with maxillofacial fractures who complained of occlusal instability or clearly observed occlusal instability at the doctor’s decision
Summary
This study aimed to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on oral and maxillofacial fracture in Daegu by comparing the demographic data in 2019 and 2020, retrospectively. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is an infectious disease that first originated in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 [1]. This disease is highly contagious, such that it was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020, by the World Health Organization due to its rapid spread worldwide [2]. COVID-19 has caused an astronomical number of infections and deaths, causing the collapse of health care systems worldwide To overcome this situation, social restrictions have been placed by governments around the world. A major change in behavioral patterns of the public due to the direct impact of COVID-19 led to changes in the regularly observed injury patterns [7,8,9]
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