Fractures of the mandible. A 35-year retrospective study.
A retrospective survey was carried out of patients presenting with fractures of the mandible over the 35-year period 1951-1985 in Newcastle, Australia. The age, sex and cause of injury were analysed for each of the 1,162 patients. The male:female ratio was 4.4:1. The highest incidence of trauma was in the 20-29-year age group (38.3% of all patients). The number of 20-29-year-olds sustaining mandibular fractures in each 5-year period of study was 2 to 3 times higher than would be expected from the proportion of that age group in the regional population. The major causes of fractures were assault (38.1% of all patients), road traffic accidents (21.5%) and sport (19.0%). The patterns of causes of injury were similar throughout the period of study. Males accounted for most patients in all causes of trauma. In sports, the male:female ratio was 30.6:1, whilst for assaults it was 6.3:1. The number of patients sustaining fractures increased by 364% over the period of study whilst the population involved increased by 47%.
Allan
B P
BP
Department of Dentistry and Oral Medicine, Royal Newcastle Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Daly
C G
CG
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014754:Violence