Mandibular fractures; pattern and presentation of mandibular fractures in dow international dental college: five year review

ABSTRACT... Introduction: Maxillofacial trauma is a regularly reported occurrence in the emergency room. Of all maxillofacial injuries worldwide, the mandible is the most commonly involved facial bone, with etiologies ranging from assaults and interpersonal violence to RTAs. Objectives: We aim to identify the patterns of incidence, etiology, age groups, anatomical location and gender in mandibular fractures in the population of Karachi, Pakistan. Study Design: Observational cross sectional study. Setting: Dow International Dental College. Period: January 2012 – September 2017. Materials and Methods: Informed consent was obtained along with a comprehensive history; a systematic clinical examination was supplemented by radiographs of the face as required to confirm the presence of fractures. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS v.21. Results: Over 5 years, an overall 156 patients sustained 250 fractures of the mandible. Most affected gender was male, the age group was 20-30 years, most common cause was Road Traffic Accidents and site was the parasymphysis. Conclusion: Mandibular fractures have a higher incidence in young males driving motorbikes or cars. More rigorous legislative action and community awareness is required to lessen the rate of mandibular fractures in Karachi, Pakistan.