Dental traumatology: an orphan in pediatric dentistry?
Traumatic dental injuries are very frequent during childhood and adolescence. In fact, 2 out of 3 children have suffered a traumatic dental injury before adulthood. This fact links dental traumatology to pediatric dentistry. Unfortunately, this is not reflected by active participation by pediatric dentists in acute treatment, follow-up, and research. To examine the status of pediatric dentistry in relation to dental trauma, a publication analysis was undertaken in 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2007 about trauma articles published in 4 pediatric journals: journal of Dentistry for Children, Pediatric Dentistry, The journal of Pedodontics, and the International journal of Pediatric Dentistry. This study shows an average publication rate of trauma articles of approximately 3 percent of all articles published and with no improvement in later decennia. If only clinical studies are considered (leaving out case reports), the publication rate is less than 1 percent--completely out of proportion to the size of the problem dental trauma impose in children.
Andreasen
Jens Ove
JO
Resource Center for Rare Oral Diseases, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. jens.ove.andreasen@rh.regionh.dk
Lauridsen
Eva
E
Daugaard-Jensen
Jette
J
D000293:Adolescent; D015706:Bibliometrics; D002648:Child; D018865:Dental Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D010377:Pediatric Dentistry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011643:Publishing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018677:Tooth Injuries / Q000628:therapy*