Oral and maxillofacial surgeryEuropean Maxillofacial Trauma (EURMAT) in children: A multicenter and prospective study

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to present and discuss the results of a European multicentre prospective study about pediatric maxillofacial trauma epidemiology during a year.Study DesignThe following data were recorded: gender, age, etiology, site of fracture, date of injury. Of the 3396 patients with maxillofacial fractures admitted within the study period, 114 (3.3%) were children aged 15 years and younger, with a male/female ratio of 2.6:1. Mean age was 10.9 years. Most patients (63%) were aged 11-15 years.ResultsThe most frequent cause of injury was fall (36 patients). Sport injuries and assaults were almost limited to the oldest group, whereas falls were more uniformly distributed in the 3 groups. The most frequently observed fracture involved the mandible with 47 fractures. In particular, 18 condylar fractures were recorded, followed by 12 body fractures.ConclusionsFalls can be acknowledged as the most important cause of facial trauma during the first years of life. The high incidence of sport accidents after 10 years may be a reason to increase the use of mouthguards and other protective equipment. Finally, the mandible (and in particular the condyle) was confirmed as the most frequent fracture site.