Epidemiological profile of elective facial fractures at the Hospital Geral de Fortaleza

Abstract

Oral and maxillofacial trauma impacts government costs and morbidity for patients. Fracture repair must occur as soon as possible to better restore functionality and aesthetics, and knowledge about the mechanisms of trauma and the patient's general condition are essential for the effective treatment of facial fractures. Therefore, the objective was to investigate the epidemiological profile of oral and maxillofacial trauma in patients treated at the Hospital Geral de Fortaleza and the association between the time elapsed between the trauma and surgical approach and the correlation between age, gender, affected bone and city of origin. Data was collected from 93 patients who underwent osteosynthesis surgeries from 2018 to 2022. The majority had treatment within one month. Men with an average of 30 years old were more prevalent. Furthermore, patients from the interior tend to receive faster care than those from the capital. Motorcycle accidents were the main cause of trauma. The most affected bone was the maxilla. The development of strategies for more agile care, implementation of protocols for identification and referral and awareness of the importance of immediate treatment of facial fractures aims to reduce the time between trauma and surgery.