Incidence of mandibular fractures in black sea region of Turkey

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to review the incidence of mandibular fractures in the Black Sea Region of Turkey and to present our treatment protocol. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data were collected regarding age, sex, etiology, time distribution, site of the fracture and the associated injuries and evaluated. These patients were treated at Ondokuz Mayıs University Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery between 2003 and 2010. Data were collected from patient files in the archive and were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 software. RESULTS: A total of 82 patients with 133 mandibular fractures were included in this study. After the follow up period of the patients, the results were achieved from 58 (70.7%) males and 24 (29.3%) females, whose ages ranged from 5 to 72 years and the mean age was 29. Fractures were most seen in 2008 and the busiest month was August. Falls (40.2%) were the major causes of mandibular fractures followed by traffic accidents and violence. The mandibular anatomical sites of higher fracture incidence were: condyle (34.6%), body and symphysis. The number of the fractures and injuries which were seen in other places such as zygomatic arch, alveolar process, tongue, upper and lower lips, orbita, arms was 14. 53 (64.6%) patients were treated by closed reduction, whereas 13 (15.8%) patients were treated by open reduction. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that our results were widely similar with the studies in developing countries. Socio-economic factors, cultures, geographic conditions and education could affect the etiology of the mandibular fractures and cause different results between the studies conducted in different countries. Key words:Mandibular fractures, etiology, trauma, treatment, complication.