Citation

Alqahtani F, Bishawi K, Jaber M. Saudi Dent. J. 2020; 32(2): 61-67.

Affiliation

College of Dentistry, Ajman University, United Arab Emirates.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, King Saud University and Saudi Dental Society, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.sdentj.2019.08.008

PMID

32071533

PMCID

PMC7016231

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Maxillofacial trauma (MFT) is a serious health problem and in Saudi Arabia is mainly caused by road traffic accidents (RTAs). MFT commonly associated with injuries to the face, head, and jaws and may cause soft tissue lacerations and bruises. MFT can also cause fatal blood loss and airway obstruction. The objective of this review was to determine the prevalence of MFT, identify the major causative factors in males and females in the main cities of Saudi Arabia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed literature searches of all published studies describing MFT from KSA during the last 20 years.

RESULTS: In Saudi Arabia, males are more prone to MFT than females, although the male: female ratio of MFT varies between different cities. Specifically, Aseer has the highest male: female ratio (10:1), followed by AlHofuf (8.3:1) while AlQurayyat had the least gender ratios of MFT (2:1). Most cases of MFT are associated with RTAs, which accounted for (63%-90.3%) in Medina, (89.1%) in Aseer, (86.1% -87.1%) in Riyadh, (67%-73.1%) in Jeddah, (71%) in Khamis Mushait, (64.2%) in Makkah and (63.3%) in Al-Hofuf. The least percentage of RTA resulting into MFT was recorded in AlQurayyat (24%).

CONCLUSION: Maxillofacial trauma is a serious health problem in Saudi Arabia. RTAs remain the major cause of maxillofacial injuries especially among males, thus strict implementation of traffic rules is a must to minimize maxillofacial injuries and its physical and psychological impact.

© 2019 The Authors.

Language: en

Keywords

Maxillofacial trauma; Road traffic accidents; Saudi Arabia