Introduction: This retrospective study aimed to assess the occurrence of dental avulsions in patients with facial trauma over a 9-year period.
Materials and methods: Data was collected from records of patients attended to at the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Piracicaba Dental School-State University of Campinas, Piracicaba (SP), Brazil.
Results: Two hundred three patients with 387 avulsed teeth were evaluated, the central incisors being the most common teeth involved (42 % of permanent and 61 % of primary teeth). Thirty-four percent of the cases occurred on weekends, mainly on Saturdays (20 %) and the distribution in relation to the time of year was similar with slight peaks in January. The most prevalent associated dentoalveolar injury was lateral luxation (26 %) and 19 % of the patients presented with an associated facial fracture. The most common sign presented was laceration (23 %), and the main symptoms found were pain (58 %). Associated general trauma was present in 139 patients (68 %), and the most prevalent was the upper limb (41 %).
Discussion: Special emphasis should be given not only to diagnosis and treatment of dental avulsion but for prevention, too. An understanding of the etiology, severity, and distribution of associated traumatic injuries can help for future studies and for an effective prevention of these injuries.