Clinical characteristics of dental emergencies and prevalence of dental trauma at a university hospital emergency center in Korea

Abstract – Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the clinical characteristics of dental emergency patients who visited a university hospital emergency center and to evaluate the incidence of dental trauma. Materials and methods: A retrospective chart review of patients with dental complaints and who visited the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH) emergency center in Gyeonggi‐do, Korea, from January 2009 to December 2009 was conducted. Information regarding age, gender, the time, day, and month of presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and follow up was collected and analyzed. Results: One thousand four hundred twenty‐five patients with dental problems visited the SNUBH emergency center. Dental patients accounted for 1.47% of the total 96 708 patients at the emergency center. The male‐to‐female ratio was 1.68:1, with a considerably larger number of male patients (62.7%). The age distribution peak was at 0–9 years (27.5%), followed by patients in their forties (14.1%). The number of patients visiting the dental emergency center peaked in May (14.2%), on Sundays (22.4%), and between 2100 and 2400 h (20.8%). The patients’ chief complaints were as follows: dental trauma, dental infection, oral bleeding, and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). The prevalence of dental trauma was 66%. Conclusions: The reasons for dental emergency visits included the following: dental trauma, dental infection, oral bleeding, and TMD, with 66% of the patients requiring management of dental trauma. It is important that dentists make a prompt, accurate diagnosis and initiate effective treatment in case of dental emergencies, especially dental trauma.