Traumatic Injuries in Victms of Violence: a Retrospective Study

Objective: The aim of this retrospective study was to analyse data from the records of individuals examined at the Forensic Dentistry Section of the Forensic Institute of Recife, Pernambuco – Brazil, during the years 2002-2006, according to sex, age, cause, and type of trauma. Methods: The sample consisted in 58 records of subjects from 8 to 55 years-old that presented dental and maxillofacial injuries. Data were summarized and analysed using the statistical software SPSS 13.0. Results: The mean age of the sample was 29 years-old and male gender was more prevalent (69%).Traumatic dental injuries were observed in 34 (58.6%) cases while maxillofacial trauma was present in 24 (41.4%) individuals. Males experienced more injuries than females, 76.5% and 23.5%, respectively, showing a statistical difference (p<0.05). Interpersonal violence was the main cause of dental and maxillofacial injuries (p<0.05) in 30 (51.7%) cases, followed by traffic accidents (n=21 - 36.2%) and other causes (n=7 - 12%). Conclusion: Strategies for prevention of dental and maxillofacial injuries must be taken into account in the development of oral health policy, particularly those related to interpersonal violence, in order to find a way to minimize its occurrence.