A Retrospective Investigation of Traumatic Dental Injuries in SNUDH, Korea

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate etiology, incidence and distribution, types of traumatic dental injuries in Korea. Methods: The study was based on the clinical data of the 847 traumatized teeth in 337 patients attending the Department of Conservative Dentistry at Seoul National University Dental Hospital from 2005 to 2007 (32 months). Type of dental injuries was determined using Andreasen's classification. Results: The patients' average age was 32.5 years (SD 15.8). Males (63.2%) experienced more injuries than females (36.8%). The highest number of injuries occurred in the 21-30 year group. The maxillary anterior area was the most vulnerable to injuries (73.7%). The most common injuries were uncomplicated crown fracture (25.3%), subluxation (22.5%), lateral luxation and avulsion (9.2% and 9.0%, respectively). Trauma was most frequently the result of alcohol-related falls and violence. Conclusion: The results were similar to a number of published studies of other countries. More consistency is required in the collection and reporting of trauma data to be able to draw meaningful conclusions by comparison.