Resumo

SOUZA FILHO, Manoel Dias de et al. Prevalence of dental trauma in preschool children from Teresina, PI. Arq. Odontol. [online]. 2011, vol.47, n.1, pp. 18-24. ISSN 1516-0939.

Aim: The present study investigated the prevalence of dental trauma in preschool children from Teresina, Piauí, Brazil. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 220 preschool children, both male and female, from 36 to 68 months of age, enrolled in a private school in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil. Information pertaining to education and access to oral health and oral exams conducted by the school for the preschool children was obtained by a single examiner who had been previously trained (Kappa=0.89) to observe the prevalence of dental traumas. Results: Within the sample, slightly more than 53% (n = 117) of the population was female, and the average age observed among the children was 55.2 (±4.9) months. The prevalence of trauma observed was 31.8% (n=70), in which the upper left central incisor (n=46, 48.4%) and the upper right central incisor (n=41 to 43.2%) proved to be the most commonly affected. In 44.6% (n=33) of the teeth, smooth changes in the crown's color appeared, whereas in more than 36% (n=27) of the teeth, coronal fracture after injury could be observed. In addition, 84% (n=59) of the children who presented an open bite also presented some form of dental trauma (p=0.01). Conclusions: Among preschool children in the study, the prevalence of dental trauma was high, suggesting the need for preventive and educational measures in this age group to reduce this risk to dental health. The main clinical evidence of dental trauma included color changes and the fracture of tooth crowns. Moreover, the most affected teeth were the upper central incisors, and children who presented open bites proved to be more susceptible to dental trauma.

Palavras-chave : Tooth injuries; Tooth fractures; Child preschool.