Abstract

PAIVA, Paula Cristina Pelli; PAIVA, Haroldo Neves de; JORGE, Kelly Oliva  and  FILHO, Paulo Messias de Oliveira. Cross-sectional study on treatment needs, etiology and occurrence of traumatic dental injuries among 12-yearold schoolchildren in Montes Claros, Brazil. Arq. Odontol. [online]. 2013, vol.49, n.1, pp. 19-25. ISSN 1516-0939.

Aim: To assess the treatment needs, etiology, and location of the occurrence of traumatic dental injuries in the permanent incisors of 12-year-old schoolchildren in the city of Montes Claros, Brazil. Materials and Methods: The sample size was calculated using the maximum population variability (0.25), with a 95% confidence level, Zα/2 = 1.96, 4% estimation error, and d = 0.03. The minimum sample size was determined to be 546 children, to which 10% was added, totaling 638 randomly selected children from public and private schools. The prevalence of dental trauma was first investigated through clinical exams using the classification formulated in the UK Children's Dental Health Survey, which was performed by a dentist who had undergone a training and calibration exercise (Kappa = 0.87 and 0.96). The children were examined at school under artificial light. A semi-structured questionnaire was then administered to the children to determine the occurrence of dental trauma, etiology, and site of the accident. Univariate analysis of the data was performed using the chisquare test. Results: The prevalence of traumatic dental injury was 34.9% in the 605 (94.8%) clinical exams performed. Traumatic dental injury was found in 279 permanent incisors, and restorative treatment needs were found in 35.8% (100 teeth), whereas only 13.97% (39 teeth) exhibited restorative treatment. Falls constituted the main etiological factor (49.7%), and the majority of schoolchildren with dental trauma reported that the home was the location where the accident most often occurred (48.2%). Conclusion: This study's sample presented a high percentage of treatment needs due to traumatic dental injuries, the main etiological factor of which was falls occurring at home.

Keywords : Tooth injuries; Oral health; Permanent dentition; Adolescent..