title: Traumatic dental injuries in primary teeth: severity and related factors observed at a specialist treatment centre in Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This retrospective study aimed to analyse demographic data and the severity of traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) to the primary dentition based on children's dental records at a university clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The records of all patients were analysed according to gender, age, aetiology, teeth involved, number of affected teeth, place of occurrence, witness to the trauma, time elapsed between trauma occurrence and care-seeking, type of trauma and severity of injury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 576 children aged 8-89 months suffered injuries to 1,043 teeth. Severe injuries were the most prevalent (45.5%). These occurred at all ages, but their frequency was higher in children aged between 13 and 24 months. The prevalence of mild injury was higher when the cause was a fall from one's own height. No differences were detected in severity according to the place of occurrence and witnesses of the accident. The prevalence of severe injury was higher in cases where three or more teeth were involved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this specialist treatment centre, severe injuries were the most common TDIs, which occurred in children aged 13-24 months, mainly due to falls and most occurred at home. Professionals must be prepared to deliver the best and most efficient care to this population.
authors.affiliation: Post-Graduate Program in Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: V P P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Bertoldi
authors.forename: E Z
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Baldissera
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Goettems
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Correa
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Torriani
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000061:Accidents, Home / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000367:Age Factors; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000293:injuries; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014084:Tooth Avulsion / Q000453:epidemiology; D019228:Tooth Crown / Q000293:injuries; D014082:Tooth Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000293:injuries; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000293:injuries*