title: Jaw fractures in Nigerian children: an analysis of 102 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present the prevalence and pattern of jaw fractures in children aged 15 years and below attending two hospitals serving as referral centres for facial injuries in North Eastern Nigeria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective Cross Sectional Study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Borno State, Nigeria.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and two patients with jaw fractures aged 15 years and below.
  
  
  METHODS
  Aetiological factors and pattern of jaw fractufes in children aged 15 years and below.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We retrospectively reviewed 102 patients with jaw fractures aged 15 years and below seen over a five year period at two referral centres in Maiduguri, Northeastern Nigeria. This constituted 9.5% of the total 1,074 cases of maxillofacial injuries managed during the period. The male to female ratio was 7.5:1 and there was a male responderance in all age groups. The main causes of fractures were road traffic accident (n = 55, 53.7%) followed by falls (n = 26, 25%). Other etiological factors such as fights, sports and gunshots accounted for the remaining cases. The mandible was the commonest site with the body commonly fractured (n = 74, 72.5%). No Le Fort III fractures were identified in this study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite some limitations to our data, such as exclusion of patients who attended private clinics and lack of modern diagnostic methods, this report shows that there is obvious need for concern about the high prevalence of maxillofacial injuries in children caused by road traffic accidents in North Eastern Nigeria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, PMB 1414, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: H O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Olasoji
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tahir
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bukar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007572:Jaw Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies