Prevalence and causes of fractured permanent incisors in 12-year-old suburban Nigerian schoolchildren

Authors: Adekoya-Sofowora, Comfort A.; Adesina, Olufemi A.; Nasir, Wakeel Olabamiji; Oginni, Adeleke Oke; Ugboko, Vincent I.

Source: Dental Traumatology, Volume 25, Number 3, June 2009 , pp. 314-317(4)

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

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Abstract:

The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence and causes of traumatic dental injuries to the permanent dentition of 12-year-old school children in lle-Ife, a suburban population in the south west of Nigeria. A dental trauma cross-sectional survey was carried out through clinical examination of upper and lower permanent incisors and interviews with 415 (212 boys, 203 girls) 12-year-old children attending private and public secondary schools in lle-Ife, in 2004/2005 by one calibrated examiner. Garcia-Godoy's classification was used. The prevalence of traumatic dental injuries was 12.8%. There was no statistical difference in the prevalence between boys and girls P > 0.05. The most common cause of injuries was falls (49.1%), followed by traffic accidents (13.2%), collision against objects or people (11.3%) and misuse of teeth 9.4%. The commonest type of injury was enamel fracture alone (9.9%), followed by enamel-dentine fracture (4.8%). Majority of the accidents occurred at home (60.4%), followed by school (26.4%). The prevalence of traumatic dental injuries was on the increase among suburban Nigerian children in Ile-Ife and it has a potential to be considered an emerging public health problem.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-9657.2008.00704.x

Publication date: 2009-06-01