Summary
Traumatic dental injury (TDI) is a group of injuries that affect hard dental tissues and/or periodontal structures. Since 2007 the first emergency treatment/consult of TDI, for both the National Health Fund (FONASA) and profit private insurer (ISAPRE) affiliates, is guaranteed in the Regulation of Explicit Health Guarantees (GES) established by Chilean Law 19.966. Few national TDI studies in adults have been carried out, and none in relation to the impact of GES in this type of lesion. A retrospective cross sectional study of emergency charts of all adult patients attended at the Hospital de Urgencia Asistencia Pública. Etiological, clinical, demographic and social variables were compared between 2 time periods, Pre-GES period (July, 1 2005 to June, 30 June 2006) versus Post-GES period (July, 1 2012 to June, 312013). A high incidence of TDI caused by interpersonal violence in males between 20 and 29 years old was observed in both periods. However, an increased TDI with more severe injuries caused by automobile accident was observed during the post-GES period. In spite of GES implementation, high frequency of non-treated TDI was seen in the present study, this could be due to the severity of the patient´s systemic condition (delaying the TDI treatment), a lack of resources and/or inequity in the delivery of these healthcare resources. More studies and surveillance programs by the Government are needed to improve TDI treatment guarantees, and as well as regular assessment of GES compliance.
KEY WORDS: traumatic dental injuries, epidemiology, adults.
How to cite this article
VELÁSQUEZ, F.; MANCILLA, C.; NIÑO, A. Y.; TIRREAU, V.; CORTÉS-ARAYA, J.; ROJAS, M. C.; ESCOBAR, E.; REYES-COURT, D.; CALLEJA, S.; ULLOA-MARÍN, C. & SUNG-HSIEH, H. H. Epidemiological patterns of traumatic dental injuries (GES Disease) in adult patients treated at a Chilean National Trauma Center during 2 periods. Int. J. Odontostomat., 8(2):191-199, 2014.
