Ulf Glendor

Epidemiology of traumatic dental injuries--a 12 year review of the literature.

BACKGROUND/AIM A traumatic dental injury (TDI) is a public dental health problem because of its frequency, occurrence at a young age, costs and that treatment may continue for the rest of the patients life. The aim of this paper is to present a12-year, international review of the prevalence and incidence of TDIs including some background factors and a quick, easy method in registering TDIs to receive a primary understanding of the extent and severity of dental trauma. MATERIAL AND METHOD The databases of Medline, Cochrane, SSCI, SCI and CINAHL from 1995 to the present were used. RESULT The results indicate a high prevalence of TDIs in primary and permanent teeth and that TDIs exists throughout the world. The prevalence show that one third of all preschool children have suffered a TDI involving the primary dentition, one fourth of all school children and almost one third of adults have suffered a trauma to the permanent dentition, but variations exist both between and within countries. Activities of a person and the environment are probably more determining factors of TDIs than gender and age. A risk profile why some patients sustain multiple dental trauma episodes (MDTE) is necessary to present. All dental clinics should have a prospective ongoing registration of TDIs. The NUC method (N = no TDI, U = uncomplicated TDI, C = complicated TDI) presents if there has been any TDI and the severity of that trauma. CONCLUSION The trend of TDIs seems to be stable on a high level with variations largely reflecting local differences. Because of the complexity of TDIs, every dental clinic should have a prospective ongoing registration of number and severity of TDIs.

Aetiology and risk factors related to traumatic dental injuries – a review of the literature

BACKGROUND/AIM During the past 30 years, the number of aetiologies of traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) has increased dramatically in the literature and now includes a broad spectrum of variables, including oral and environmental factors and human behaviour. The aim of this study is to present an international review of well-known as well as less well-known unintentional and intentional causes of TDIs. Moreover, some models that are useful in investigating contact sport injuries are presented. MATERIALS AND METHODS The databases of Medline, Cochrane, Social Citation Index, Science Citation Index and CINAHL from 1995 to the present were used. RESULT Oral factors (increased overjet with protrusion), environmental determinants (material deprivation) and human behaviour (risk-taking children, children being bullied, emotionally stressful conditions, obesity and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) were found to increase the risk for TDIs. Other factors increasing the risk for TDIs are presence of illness, learning difficulties, physical limitations and inappropriate use of teeth. A new cause of TDIs that is of particular interest is oral piercing. In traffic facial injury was similar in unrestrained occupants (no seat belts) and occupants restrained only with an air bag. Amateur athletes have been found to suffer from TDIs more often than professional athletes. Falls and collisions mask intentional TDIs, such as physical abuse, assaults and torture. Violence has increased in severity during the past few decades and its role has been underestimated when looking at intentional vs unintentional TDIs. There are useful models to prevent TDIs from occurring in sports. WHO Healthy Cities and WHO Health Promoting Schools Programmes offer a broad solution for dental trauma as a public health problem. CONCLUSION The number of known causes of TDIs has grown to alarming levels, probably because of increased interest of the causes and the underlying complexity of a TDI. Accepted oral, environmental and human aetiological factors must therefore be included in the registration of TDIs.

Attitudes towards the use of mouth and face guards in Swedish ice hockey: part I. Materials and method

BACKGROUND/AIM The most common method to study the use and attitudes of mouth and face guards is a limited number of preprepared questions. This approach, however, risks information restriction and lowers the general value of the study. The aim of this study was therefore to present a phenomenographic approach to capture the use and attitudes towards mouth and face guards in two Swedish ice hockey clubs. MATERIALS AND METHOD The phenomenographic study was set up as 12 focus group interviews: six interviews with one elite and six interviews with one division 3 ice hockey club in Sweden. A number of categories were identified, which became the basis for how the results are presented. RESULTS The participants inspired each other to speak freely, which allowed for much wider and deeper discussions than was expected. In comparison with the use of a preprepared questionnaire with a limited number of questions sent home by post, this method included comments from the participants and revealed new angles of approach in 12 identified categories. CONCLUSIONS Using a phenomenographic research method, more variations and different apprehensions could be revealed than what would be possible with a set of preprepared questions sent by post or used in individual interviews.