Analysis of the Prevalence of Traumatic Dental Injuries in the Primary Dentition: Findings From a Cohort Study Involving 4-Year-Old Children From South Brazil

Objective

To identify factors associated with the prevalence of traumatic dental injuries (TDI) in children at 4 years of age.

Methods

Participants from the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort were included. Demographic, socioeconomic, behavioral, and environmental data were collected through interviews and physical examinations during cohort follow-up. Dental examination at 4 years of age revealed the presence of TDI. A theoretical model was constructed using a directed acyclic graph (DAG). A descriptive analysis was performed, followed by Poisson regression models relating TDI to each outcome.

Results

Data from 3650 4-year-old children were analyzed; the prevalence of dental trauma was 20.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 18.9%–21.5%). The prevalence of TDI was lower among girls compared with boys, suggesting a protective effect of female sex (relative risk [RR] 0.80 [95% CI: 0.79–0.91]). Increased height for age (RR 1.55 [95% CI: 1.14–2.09]), increased overjet (RR 1.45 [95% CI: 1.2–1.74]), and anterior open bite (RR 1.26 [95% CI: 1.01–1.56]) demonstrated an association with TDI after testing regression models based on DAGs.

Conclusion

Male sex, increased height, and increased overjet and open bite were factors predisposing to TDI at 4 years of age. Understanding these factors can contribute to the implementation of targeted prevention strategies for reducing TDI and their potential long-term consequences.