Incidence of oral and maxillofacial skiing injuries due to different injury mechanisms

Abstract

Purpose: This study emphasizes the significance of maxillofacial injuries in skiing accidents, correlating injury mechanisms and patterns, by evaluating a large population of maxillofacial injuries over a 6-year period.

Patients and methods: Between 1991 and 1996, of 5,623 patients showing oral and maxillofacial injuries, 1,859 were sports-related. Records of 579 patients with 882 incidents of oral and maxillofacial injury due to skiing were reviewed and analyzed according to age, sex, type of injury, cause of accident, location, and frequency of fractures. Additionally, the five main injury mechanisms were analyzed.

Results: The oral and maxillofacial injuries in 10.3% of all trauma patients, or 33% of all sports-related trauma patients, were due to skiing. A total of 310 patients (53.5%) had facial bone fractures, 236 patients (40.8%) suffered from dentoalveolar trauma, and 336 patients (58%) showed soft tissue injuries. Five major causes and mechanisms of injury existed, namely, 263 falls (45%); 135 collisions with other skiers (23%); 70 individuals struck by their own ski equipment (12%); 46 collisions against stationary objects (8%); and 34 lift-track accidents (6%). Sex distribution showed an overall male-to-female ratio of 1.9:1.0, but varied depending on the injury mechanism. The age distribution ranged from 2 to 81 years.

Conclusion: The results of this study show the high incidence of oral and maxillofacial injuries due to skiing accidents. Depending on the mechanism of injury, different patterns occur. Facial bone fractures are more likely in collisions with other persons, falls, and collisions with stationary objects, whereas dentoalveolar trauma is more common when persons are struck by their own ski equipment, or when accidents on lift-tracks occur.