Abstract

Objective: To establish the epidemiology and incidence of dentoalveolar trauma in adult patients. Materials and Methods: In a descriptive study 80 patients over 18 years old attended different urgency services of Santiago. Patients were evaluated for acute dental trauma during the second semester of 2002. Type of injuries, sex, age, teeth involved and association to facial fractures was also emulated. Results: Periodontal lesions were the most prevalent with a 56,42%. Men between ages 20 and 29 years old were the more compromised group and the main cause was violence. 8, 75% had some type of maxillofacial injury. Midline fractures of the jaw was the most common lesion. Conclusions: Acute dental trauma in adult patients have in general a similar behavior than the ones described in the literature. There is certain associations with other craniofacial trauma.