Pattern of traumatic dental injuries among adults

Background: The etiology, presentation and management of traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) vary significantly between the adult and the younger population. Most epidemiolo-gical studies on TDIs have focused on the pediatric age group. This study aims to report and compare the distributions of TDIs among adults in a sub-population in India. Methods: This prospective observational study was performed on 1562 consecutively selected patients (1218 males and 344 females) from a university dental hospital in India, between July 2014 and June 2018. The clinical examinations were performed by a single trained and calibrated endodontist. Only TDIs to anterior teeth were recorded (canine to canine in the maxilla and mandible) and classified using a modified version of the World Health Organization's (WHO’s) classification. Periapical and panoramic radiographs were taken for all the subjects. Results: A total of 1562 patients aged between 20 and 73 years, with a mean age of 36 years, were examined during the study period. The total number of teeth with TDIs was 3044. Males (78%) clearly outnumbered the females (22%) in all the age groups. The most common type of injury occurring in both the genders is uncomplicated crown fractures (male=31.0% and female=36.6%). Avulsion injuries are more likely to be seen by a dentist within 1 hour post-trauma. About two-third of the TDIs were caused by road traffic accidents (RTAs) followed by falls in about 20% of the patients. Conclusion: Uncomplicated crown fracture was the most commonly observed type of TDI, and RTAs were the primary cause of TDI.