Le Fort fractures (I). A study of frequency, etiology and treatment.

The cause and frequency of maxillary fractures as well as type of treatment performed has been reviewed in this study. During the time period between 1969 and 1982, a total of 301 maxillary fractures have been treated at our Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Gothenburg. The period has been subdivided in 3 parts to evaluate whether differences in the amount of severe fractures could be observed. Since a law was instituted in Sweden in 1975 calling for a mandatory use of front seat belts, the frequency of fractures related to the time periods before and after 1975 could be of interest. We found a surprisingly equal number of fracture incidents during the different periods of time, but a decreasing number of maxillary fractures of type le Fort I, II and III; partial maxillary fractures on the other hand, had increased in number.