Prevalence, risk factors and treatment needs of traumatic dental injuries to anterior teeth among 6-15 year old schoolchildren

Aims and Objectives: Traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) of the permanent anterior teeth among the school children are quite prevalent but often the neglected problem. The objective of the present study was to assess the prevalence of the TDIs of the permanent anterior teeth among 6-15 years schoolchildren attending government and private schools of Bhopal city.
Methodology: Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 2671, 6-15 years old schoolchildren of Bhopal city. Andreasen’s epidemiological classification (2004) for assessing the TDIs, Angle’s classification with Dewey’s modification for assessing the occlusal relationship, and the World Health Organization Basic Oral Health Survey (1997) guidelines for measuring the overjet were used. Data were tabulated and statistically analyzed using and Chi-square, Mantel–Haenszel common odds ratio (OR), and binary logistic regression for adjusted OR.
Results: The prevalence of TDIs was 8.6%. Falls (61.1%) were the most common cause of TDIs, mainly at home (55.9%). Boys were more affected than girls. Government children sustained higher number (4.7%) of injuries than their private counterparts. The adjusted results revealed that TDIs were significantly associated with overjet (OR = 6.6, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.66-8.23) and lip coverage (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.28-2.48). Conclusion: Overall the study results showed lower but significance prevalence of TDIs of permanent anterior teeth compares to previous studies, but there was considerable negligence in seeking care for these injuries.