Inner city maxillofacial fractures due to road traffic accidents

Abstract

A prospective study of 159 patients seen with maxillofacial fractures as a result of road traffic accidents in a Nigerian inner city was performed. The male to female ratio was 2.9:1 and the dominant age group was 21-30 years. Occupants of commercial vehicles were the ones mostly involved; involvement of rear seat occupants was high. Increased numbers of patients were seen on Saturdays and in the month of June. This study substantiates the fact that there is added risk of sustaining facial fractures during the rainy and leisure periods. Therefore, there is a need to stress the importance of common restraint devices and good road habits during these 'high risk' periods to reduce the incidence of maxillofacial fractures due to the road traffic accidents.

Facial Bone Fractures in Ile-Ife, Nigeria: An Update on Pattern of Presentation and Care

“…The trough observed in August also corresponds to the August break in rainfall. We opine that wet slippery roads and paths contribute to more motorcycle related crashes in the peak period as presented in other studies [4][5][6]24]. Proposed special precautions include avoidance of MC riding in the rain/special speed limit on rainy days.…”

Maxillofacial fractures associated with motor vehicle accidents: A review of the current literature

“…Furthermore, socioeconomic reasons such as poor roads and speed limits are a crucial factor that influences the incidence of MVA [6,7].…”

“…In the last 30 years, the implementation of laws that require seat belts and/or airbags in cars and helmets to be worn by motorcyclists has had an impact on the incidence of facial trauma in developed countries [1,2,6,7].…”

“…Investigations of MVA-related maxillofacial injuries are crucial to clarify the mechanisms and socioeconomic costs of MVA injuries, in particular because patients with oral and maxillofacial injuries often acquire disabilities and require long-term treatment [1,2,6].…”

“…The epidemiology of these fractures varies depending on the geographic area, socioeconomic status, and the period of investigation [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. In many countries, traffic accidents are the most common cause of maxillofacial fractures [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10].…”