Biomechanical phenomena involved in facial trauma: an integrative review

Abstract

Introduction: Trauma is defined as an injury that leads to changes in an individual’s structure due to the energy exchange between tissues and the environment. Because of its location, the maxillofacial skeleton is commonly affected by trauma. Besides, existing studies that seek to address the theme commonly do so in a fragmented way, focused only on a bone structure. Therefore, the present study was proposed as an attempt to bridge this gap in today’s literature. Methods: The search was performed on the platforms PubMed, LILACS, and Cochrane Library using the descriptors: “biomechanical phenomena,” “facial injuries” and “fractures, bone,” finding 321 articles. The inclusion criteria were: studies published in the last five years, available in full, in English or Portuguese. After using these filters, 50 studies were found, and after analytical reading of the title and available summary, 44 studies were excluded. Discussion: The mandible is more vulnerable to lateral than frontal impacts; it was shown that in lateral impacts, the most significant stress force was exerted on structures ipsilateral to the impact. It was also demonstrated that dentition’s partial or total absence presented greater stress forces on the condyle. In the orbit, there are mainly edge fractures and globe/floor fractures. The first are fractures that tend to be smaller and anteriorly arranged, whereas those on the floor would be the opposite. Conclusion: In short, several factors can influence the occurrence of facial trauma; among them are the biomechanical phenomena involved.