ResumoImperícia durante a prática odontológica pode, ocasionalmente, gerar iatrogenias durante o ato transcirúr-gico, tais como a deglutição ou aspiração de materiais dentários ou instrumentos de uso diário. A falta de planejamento, falhas humanas durante o tratamento, diagnóstico incorreto e acidentes podem vir a se tornar potenciais complicações ao paciente, que além da morbidade podem causar complicações secundárias, podendo até mesmo levar o indivíduo a óbito. É importante o clínico reconhecer a sintomatologia apresentada pelo paciente e tomar atitudes cabíveis no momento em que a complicação é estabelecida, desde os níveis mais baixos de suporte até os mais complexos, proporcionando conforto físico e emocional, com o intuito de evitar problemas imediatos ou futuros à saúde como um todo. Descritores: Reação a Corpo Estranho • Corpos Estranhos • Deglutição AbstractMalpractice during dental practice may occasionally generate iatrogenies during the transsurgical act, such as swallowing or aspiration of dental materials or instruments for daily use. Lack of planning, human failures during treatment, incorrect diagnosis and accidents may become potential complications for the patient, which in addition to the morbidity can cause secondary complications and may even lead to death. It is important for the clinician to recognize the symptoms presented by the patient and to take appropriate actions when the complication is established from the lowest levels of support to the most complex, providing physical and emotional comfort in order to avoid immediate or future health problems as a whole.

OBJECTIVES: The phenomenon of population aging and the remarkable inclusion of older adults in the economically active population has increased their participation in injuries and accidents, including facial trauma. The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence, etiology, and treatment of facial trauma in the older population of the Brazilian Federal District, as well as the gender, etiology, type of trauma, and treatment strategy regarding different age groups (60–69 years, 70–79 years, and 80 years or older). METHODS: This is a retrospective quantitative descriptive study using electronic medical records (Trackcare system) of older patients (aged ≥ 60 years) assisted at the Emergency Department of a tertiary hospital of the Federal District between 2016 and 2017 due to facial trauma. RESULTS: Out of 2382 records of patients with facial trauma, 139 (5.8%) were aged over 60 years. The main causes of facial trauma were falls, both in male and female patients. Facial contusion was the main diagnosis of facial trauma (25.2%), followed by fractures of the jaw (16.5%) and zygomatic complex (15.8%). Conservative treatment was the most common strategy adopted in the Emergency Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Traumatology. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed a high prevalence of facial trauma in the geriatric population. Etiological factors such as falls and car accidents were highlighted in the studied groups. Conservative treatment and local guidelines were the preferred therapeutic approaches. Owing to the growth trend of the older population in the upcoming decades, exposure to risk factors for facial trauma tends to grow, thus requiring greater attention and specific knowledge from health professionals.