Epidemiology of facial trauma in a sample of patients aged 1-18 years.

This study reviews the epidemiology of patients aged 1-18 years treated for maxillofacial injuries during a 3 year period at a tertiary care centre. Of the 276 patients, 65.5% were aged 1-10 years. Seventy-three per cent of injuries were to the soft tissues and 15% of injuries were fractures. The mandible and zygoma were the most commonly fractured facial bones. In the adolescent group, facial fractures accounted for over half of all injuries. Injuries of 96.8% were classed as minor to moderate. Falls were by far, the commonest cause of injury, but with increasing age, assaults became more common. A surprisingly high incidence of dog bite injuries was noted, particularly in children under 7 years of age.