Oral and Dental Trauma in Forensic Medicine

Introduction. Oral and dental trauma in forensic medicine involves the study of injuries caused by both intentional and unintentional harm, representing a significant public health issue acknowledged by medical and legal professionals. Effective management of such cases requires collaboration between dentists and forensic doctors. This study aimed to describe and evaluate the epidemiological and forensic aspects of oral and dental trauma victims admitted to the forensic medicine department at CHU Annaba over a 10-month period. Methods. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 6,323 medical records from the forensic medicine department at CHU Annaba between January 1, 2019, and October 31, 2019. Among these, 432 cases involved oral and dental trauma, accounting for 6.63% of all victims examined during the study period. Data collected included demographic information (age, sex, occupation), circumstances of injury, timing of medical consultation, and clinical characteristics of the trauma. Results. The highest prevalence of oral and dental trauma was observed among individuals aged 20 to 30 years, with males comprising 57% of the cases. Most victims were employed, while 38% were unemployed. Injuries predominantly occurred during the months of April, June, July, and August, with intentional harm from assaults and fights being the leading cause, equally involving sharp and blunt weapons. Traffic accidents were the primary cause of unintentional trauma. Over half of the victims (56%) sought medical consultation 24 to 48 hours after the incident to obtain legal documentation of the assault. Soft tissue injuries, such as first-degree wounds and contusions, were the most common (82%), particularly affecting the lips (86%) and cheeks (10%). Hard tissue damage, mainly crown fractures of the incisors, was observed in 9% of cases. Most victims (92%) experienced a work incapacity of 1 to 15 days, while 8% exceeded 15 days. This study highlights the critical role of forensic doctors in addressing both health and legal requirements in cases of oral and dental trauma, underscoring the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to improve victim care.